The Unsub
by stephell
Summary: A serial killer comes to town and the team's challenge to stop him is further complicated as he strikes close to home. Without the assistance of Silvia who tirelessly challenged me and gave suggestions willingly this story would not be complete thank you
1. Chapter 1

**The Unsub:**

Author's notes: First I want to start off by saying that while I do own my dog (don't tell him that) I don't own anything to do with CBS, Without A Trace, any of the characters or anything along those lines.

Second, while I have researched locations and for the most part have described approximately their geography and relation to other places, I make no guarantees to the accuracy of the information within here, remember, this is a work of fiction.

Third, I've used some technical terms relating to driving routes, maps, the FBI as well as some medical type situations, again, most of what I've picked up is either from a brief search on the internet, reading one too many true crime novels, watching TV and while I have driven some of the roads depicted within, it's been many years and the atlas I used is almost eight years old, so again, nit pick on the details if you like, but you're only ruining the fun for yourself. 

Fourth, I'll admit that I've read one too many true crime novels in the past couple of months which is where the seed of the idea for this story came from, but I developed the story on my own and where I got lost, side-tracked, missed important parts, skimmed the surface on important moments or forget big details Silvia, my friend, beta and muse for this piece put me back on track, offered her unflinchingly honest critique (which I'll never be able to assure her enough was not taken by me as anything other than honest and necessary and completely welcome feedback), offered suggestions and pointed out some timeline inaccuracies to keep me and thus all of you on track.

Fifth, (and congratulations to all of you who have endured this lengthy preamble and are still with me at this point) this story is pretty dark, at times disturbing and, although the violence that is discussed inside is not graphically portrayed as if it is occurring, there are times where the descriptions are very clear. There are mentions of rape to women, as well as descriptions of crime scenes.

Thank you for staying with me on this page-long opening.

Without further blathering from me, I present:

**The Unsub**

**Chapter 1**:

Monday May 7th. 2007.

MPU Office 11:00 a.m.

12 hours missing…

"All right. The husband is on his way in. He indicated that his wife never came home from her shift last night. She works as a nurse at Mt. Sinai Hospital and her shift is over at 11:00 p.m. She's usually home by 12:30 a.m." Jack was standing in the bullpen while his team sat at the small table in the middle of the room. He pulled the woman's picture from the folder he was holding and turned to pin it on the whiteboard.

"When did he become concerned?" Vivian asked as she studied the woman's picture.

"Police said that he indicated he usually hears her come in but their three-year-old daughter has been sick lately and between his job and her job they've both been tired caring for their daughter and working long hours, and he just slept through until his alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. this morning. When he woke and realized Barbara wasn't there, he checked the house but there was no indication she had come home. He called the hospital to see if she had needed to work over and was told she clocked out at 11:00 p.m.

By the time he called the police and gave his report and called family and friends and so and so forth…"

"We get the call and 12 hours have already passed." Elena finished the thought.

"That's right. Martin, I want you and Danny to head to the hospital."

"Got it, Jack. We'll check security cameras as well as co-workers." Danny got up and grabbed his coat.

"The second shift comes on in about four hours, those we don't get a hold of by phone by then will be coming in to the hospital, and we'll interview them when they arrive." Martin stood next to Danny and waited for the rest of the assignments to be given.

"Great." Jack turned to Sam and Elena. "I want you two to head to the subway station. The husband said Barbara catches the subway a few blocks from the hospital and takes it to the end of the line at the Eastchester/Dyre Avenue terminal. Vivian, I need you on the financials, phone records and background. I'll interview Jim, the husband, as soon as he

gets here."

With the assignments set the team split up and headed out.

**Subway Station 12:00 noon at 96****th**** and Lexington:**

Elena and Sam left the manager's office behind the ticket counter.

"Just our luck their cameras are down. We have no footage to show if Barbara was being followed when she got on the train."

"And none of the workers that were on at that time are here right now. At least the manager was able to confirm that her pass card was used here and at the terminal at the end. What do you say we take a trip to the Eastchester/Dyre Avenue stop and see if their cameras are working there?" Elena looked at Sam.

"Sounds good, let's go." The two agents exited the station, returned to their car and while Elena drove, Sam dialed Vivian and updated her on their progress.

**MPU Jack's office**:

"Mr. Harrison, please sit down, thank you for coming in." Jack stood as an agent escorted Jim Harrison to his door.

"Has there been any news. Have you found Barbara?" Jim Harrison continued to stand in Jack's office and his head turned taking in the activity across the hall in the bullpen and then scanned the papers on Jack's desk.

"Please, sit down." Jack indicated the chair and then, after Harrison sat, he took his seat.

"We haven't found your wife yet. I've got agents at the hospital reviewing the security footage and interviewing coworkers as well as I have two other agents at the subway station."

"What can I do to help?"

"First of all, why don't you tell me everything you know – " Jack held up his hand as he saw the flash of irritation coupled with distress cross Jim Harrison's features.

"I know. It seems like we're wasting time, but it really is helpful for me to hear you tell me exactly what you told the police, so please. When did you know something was wrong?"

"Well, like I told the police, normally I hear Barbara come in. It's usually around 12:30 when she gets home. Last night though, we've both been so tired, Katie, she's our daughter, she's been sick, just a spring cold but she's been coughing and stuffed up and well you know how kids are –" He paused for a moment and Jack nodded with a small knowing smile.

"Anyway, we've been taking turns each night and last night was the first night Katie didn't wake up and I – I guess I just didn't either because the next thing I know my alarm is going off at 6:00 a.m. I shut the alarm off and that's when I saw that Barbara wasn't in bed with me. I thought maybe she was in with Katie since I hadn't heard Katie at all through the night but, when I looked, she wasn't there. I went downstairs and she wasn't there either and her car wasn't in the driveway.

The train station is about two miles from our house and Barbara drives to the station, leaves her car and catches the train into the city. But her car wasn't there and all the doors were locked and everything was on as I left it the night before, even the outside lights and the light I leave on for her in the kitchen. I knew she hadn't been home."

"Okay. Um, where's your daughter?"

"I left her with Barbara's mom. She lives a couple houses up from us. I talked to her, too. She hadn't spoken to Barbara since the day before. She wanted to come down here but I told her it was best if she took care of Katie and stayed home. I – I don't want Katie upset if there's no need."

"That was smart. Okay. Mr. Harrison, I'm going to go through some standard questions with you, and it's important you just answer my questions. I promise I'll explain everything to you but you need to know these are standard questions that we ask everyone."

"Okay."

"Okay. Have you had any strange phone calls at the house lately?"

"No."

"No hang ups, or calls that, when you answer the phone, no one is there?"

"Nothing."

"All right. How about any people knocking on the door asking directions or realizing they have the wrong address?" 

"No, nothing."

"Seen any strangers in the neighborhood? People hanging around?"

"No."

"Okay. How about strange vehicles passing slowly back and forth?"

"Again, no. Look, I can figure this out for myself. No strangers at our house, Barbara hasn't said anything about anyone following her or anyone harassing her at work. She hasn't had any weird phone calls."

"Okay. That's fine, you're doing fine. What about your marriage, everything good there?"

"Yes, everything is fine, I don't understand –"

"Mr. Harrison, I know some of these questions are going to be unpleasant, but I assure you I need to ask these questions. The better understanding I have of Barbara's frame of mind, her routine, how you two communicate the better and faster we'll be able to do our job."

"I understand, I just – I love my wife. We're not perfect, but we've been married for seven years now and we have one daughter and – Barbara left for work yesterday at 1:30 like she always does and she hasn't come home. I just want my wife. Please, please find my wife."

Jack saw Vivian indicating to him outside his office. He nodded slightly and then turned his attention back to Jim Harrison. "My whole team is working on it. Listen, I'm going to have an agent take you to a waiting area while I confer with one of my colleagues. I want you to wait there and think back over the last couple of weeks. If anything comes to mind no matter how small or how simple it appears, I want you to jot it down." Jack gave him a pad of paper and a pen. "I'll come get you as soon as I have some more information for you."

Standing up Jack walked around his desk and opened his office door so that Mr. Harrison could exit the office first. He walked Mr. Harrison past Vivian to the reception area for the unit and waved over an agent to take Mr. Harrison to the waiting area. Then he turned back and met Vivian who was waiting for him.

"I just hung up with Sam; she and Elena are heading to Eastchester/Dyre Avenue terminal. Seems Barbara Harrison's subway card was used to clear the terminal where she parks." Vivian's gaze rested briefly on the retreating form of Jim Harrison as he followed his escorting agent to the waiting area.

"Okay. That's good, anything from the boys?"

"Not yet. I'm sure as soon as they review the footage we'll get an update. I let them know what Sam and Elena are doing so they're going to try and see if it looks like anyone was following or harassing Barbara. Now, I've done a preliminary scan of their financials, everything looks normal for a two-income family with a young child living in north Bronx. I'm waiting on phone records and credit card records which should be in –"

"Agent Johnson." Vivian stopped as a fellow agent approached and handed her a folder. She thanked him for the file and flipped it open.

"Well, phone and credit card records are here now, so I'll get started on these." She turned away from Jack and headed to the table in the bullpen.

"I'll give you a hand."

**Mt. Sinai Hospital: 1:00 p.m. Security Office**:

Martin and Danny were sharing a small table that had been cleared for their use and were finishing watching the security footage that had been provided for them. They watched the black and white footage of the side entrance of the hospital labeled for employees only. On the screen the door opened and about 20 people streamed out the door.

"Freeze it, Martin." Danny leaned forward and peered intently at the screen. "Yep, there she is. Time code is about right, 11:15 p.m."

Martin jotted down a note and then continued the footage. It showed the people passing out of the camera view. "Okay. We're going to need this footage as well as identification on all of those people who left with her." He turned to the security manager who, along with the assistant manager of Human Resources, had been tasked to accompany them.

"I'll get you this tape and we should be able to put together the list of those employees fairly quickly. Most of them appear to be wearing nursing uniforms so, Linda, if you could take it to Nursing Administration –"

"You bet, Rich. Can you print me that picture and I'll head down there now and start getting names and phone numbers." The security manager nodded and hit the print screen button and the printer in the corner hummed to life.

"That would be great, ma'am." Danny spoke up. "Can you also find out if any of those people are going to be working today and, if they are, arrange that when they come in to work that they meet with us first but don't tell them why we need to meet with them."

"Okay." Linda answered slowly. "Why don't you want us to say anything?"

"Ma'am, it's just standard procedure." Martin spoke evenly and met Linda's eyes straight on. "When we ask them about leaving with Barbara, we want their first impressions, their first recollections of how she seemed, if anyone seemed unduly interested in her or out of place, anything like that. If anyone mentions to them before we get a chance to talk to them that she's missing and we're going to be asking them questions, then they'll start sifting and sorting through their memories and coloring their impressions or worse, discarding observations or impressions because they don't want to appear alarmist or foolish."

"Yes, and that could hurt our chances to find Barbara quickly and safely." Danny finished. Neither agent explained the other reason for not alerting the people in the picture they wanted to talk to them: if any of the people on the screen were part of Barbara's disappearance, they didn't want them alerted to the fact that the FBI was there asking questions.

"Oh, that makes sense." Linda appeared mollified. "I'll just tell their manager that we have a new security procedure that we want to go over with people who use that door." With that Linda got up and left taking the printed image with her.

Danny turned back to Rich, the security manager, "Would it be likely that she would walk the four or five blocks to the station?"

"Nope. Usually several of them share a cab to the station or if they do walk, they go in groups."

"Okay. Do you have any footage from any other angle that would show us people catching a cab together?"

"Yeah, there's another camera that shows the area on Madison Avenue where staff get cabs and would show them walking down the block.

Martin and Danny watched as the next piece of footage appeared on the monitor in front of them. They saw Barbara Harrison and two other staff members hail a cab and share the ride to the station. Danny got a copy of the image printed and added it to his folder. He and Martin would want to interview those two people to see if either remembered anyone following them or approaching them. Checking his watch he guessed that Sam and Elena would be at the terminal by now and would have an update shortly on whether there was any footage. Until then, he and Martin were at a slight pause in their activity until they got names to go with the faces of the people that shared Barbara's cab.

**Eastchester/Dyre Avenue Terminal, Bronx**

Sam and Elena pulled into the terminal parking area and got out. They were greeted by a man who introduced himself as Captain Kelley.

"Glad for the help. My men already talked to the manager of the terminal and pulled the surveillance tapes. There's not that many people coming through at that time of night so it was pretty easy to see her on the video footage. Doesn't appear that she was worried about anything or that anyone was paying any special attention to her, but whatever happened to her happened here. Her car is still in the lot."

Sam and Elena exchanged looks and then followed Captain Kelley through the terminal parking area to where a police cruiser was parked behind a dark blue Jetta.

"Once, Mr. Harrison told us he was headed to your downtown office to be interviewed, we figured we'd canvas the lot just to be thorough, glad we did."

Elena spoke up, "Her subway pass shows she exited here and now you have the footage as well to verify it. Are there any cameras that cover this part of the lot?"

"Unfortunately no. They're planning on upgrading their security in the lots but haven't had the opportunity or the funding to do so yet. There's good lighting and this woman was savvy enough to park under a light and in the direct path from the exit of the terminal to her car, still nighttime is a dangerous time."

"Have you searched the car, yet?" Sam was peering through the windows and didn't note anything out of the ordinary, a car seat in the back, various toys and children blankets were scattered on the seat and a coffee mug sat in the cup holder, looked normal.

"Not yet. I just updated your Agent Malone and he informed me you two were probably almost here so I decided to give you a few minutes before I popped the locks. Now is as good a time as any." Captain Kelley turned and nodded to another officer who had been standing quietly by observing the conversation, within seconds he popped the front lock and then triggered the trunk release.

Taking a breath Sam reached forward with a glove covering one hand and gently lifted the trunk lid.

Inside the trunk was a folded up stroller, a couple of jackets for the changeable late spring temperatures and some empty plastic water bottles. A further search of the vehicle turned up nothing of any material value to the investigation.

"We'll have it towed to our station and have it processed, but I'd say Mrs. Harrison never made it to her car." Captain Kelley summed up.

"I'd say you're right." Sam answered and then turned back to look at the terminal entrance wondering what had happened in the 100 or so feet from that door to this car that caused Mrs. Harrison to disappear.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the squawking of Captain Kelley's radio.

Elena and Sam stood quietly and listened to the radio exchange recognizing the codes that flashed over the airwaves.

"Roger that. I'm en route now." Captain Kelley answered the call and turned to look at the two agents. "I'm afraid we may have found our missing woman. If you'll both follow me, it's only a mile or two from here."

Leaving the one officer behind to wait for the tow truck, Captain Kelley and Agents Spade and Delgado drove through the streets to a small park that was bursting with springtime scents and colors and life. A small gathering of people up near a duck pond directed them to their destination and within moments all three stood just inside a newly taped off area just out of earshot of the few people that were gathered gawking and trying to see and understand what was going on.

Behind some bushes and just in front of the duck pond, out of sight of casual passers by was the nude body of a woman. Her eyes stared straight up sightlessly, her neck was grotesquely angled leaving little doubt that it had been broken, evidence of ligature marks around her throat spoke of strangulation and blood was dried between her legs hinting at violent sexual assault.

One look and Elena and Sam knew without a doubt their missing person had been found. Elena stepped forward to examine the body more closely but not touching it since the medical examiner was not yet on sight while Sam pulled out her phone and called Jack.

Sadly this case was over for the team but its effects would never be over for the family and friends of Barbara Harrison. What neither Sam or Elena, nor anyone else on their team knew was that this case would mark the awakening of something far more sinister and hit a lot closer to all of their lives than they ever suspected.

TBC….


	2. Chapter 2

All disclaimers can be found in Chapter 1. If you like something in here, be sure to thank Silvia for her hard work. She worked tirelessly on this to develop and improve this story.

Laurel

**Chapter 2**:

**Four days later: MPU Office. (Thursday May 10****th****, 2007)**

"Agent Malone." Jack looked up from his desk and stared curiously at the two FBI agents standing at his door.

"Yeah, who are you?" He waved them in and indicated they should sit down.

"I'm Agent Chris Mitchell and this is Agent Tom Clark." The taller of the two men completed the introductions as both men settled into the indicated chairs. Jack leaned back from his desk, placed his glasses on top of the file he was reviewing and waited to hear what brought these two agents to his office.

"We've been tracking some murders of women across several states over the past six years or so and noticed a routine posting that your unit completed yesterday on a –" Mitchell paused and looked at his notebook to confirm the name. "– Barbara Harrison."

"Yeah, we were called in on her missing person case on Monday. Unfortunately, when we found her, she was dead."

"Yes, we know. It's the cause of her death and where she was found that leads us to believe she may be a part of the cases we've been following. When you loaded the medical examiner's findings of the victim as well as the description of the victim and where she was found into the ViCAP system, we received an alert as several factors or perhaps even signatures are similar in."

"Such as --" Jack knew when he heard a word like 'signature' that the possibility of a serial killer was coming, but he hoped this was just a coincidence.

"Well, things like the violence of the rape, the fact that the victim was left in a park and that in addition to strangulation her neck had been broken at the C3 and C4 vertebrae. She was also a brunette in her mid-30s and her disappearance appears not to have been preceded by any threats or unusual incidents and there were no witnesses."

"Those are the salient points to the case. You said you've been tracking cases across several states. What other states show similar murders?"

"So far we've identified Washington, around the Seattle area, Colorado, Pennsylvania, DC and now here. We'd like to meet with your team, go over the case and then we're heading to the medical examiner's office, and we'll meet with the local police where the victim was from."

"All right. My team is right outside. We're having a lull in missing persons right now which probably won't last long so why don't we go introduce you to them, and I'll have them review the file with you." Jack stood up and indicated for the agents to exit his office and then he lead them across the hall to the bullpen.

**Friday May 11****th****, 2007**:

Jack walked into the conference room and noticed the files spread across the table and the various white boards and portable bulletin boards that were filled with pictures and timelines, places and dates. Agents Mitchell and Clark had set up their work space quickly and with a confidence and ease that spoke of familiarity with the various victims as well as with each other's work preferences. He noted that only Agent Clark, Vivian and Martin were in the room at the moment.

"So you've been following these cases across the country for how many years now, Agent Clark?" Vivian was asking Agent Clark.

"Well, I don't do it full-time. The trail grows cold for a while and then it heats up again. The reason we came out here so quickly after Barbara Harrison is because last Friday another case with a similar profile was entered into the ViCAP system and that gave us two in this vicinity that appeared within days of each other."

Jack was more than a little interested and spoke up regarding that last comment; "Another case? Which one? Who?" He didn't remember hearing of any other murdered women shortly after they disappeared that fit the same criteria.

"This case was in reference to a disappearance in 2004, springtime. The woman's name was Elsie Thomas. Her remains were found last week when the park she was discarded in was digging a foundation for a new water pond/fountain where they would have carp swimming for the kids to feed. Anyway, during the dig they discovered a woman's skull. Local medical examiner was called and the crime scene team dug and recovered most of the skeleton including the vertebrae and lo and behold, her neck had been broken, that plus the location in addition to your case earlier this week caused us to come out and take a look."

"I remember that case." Martin spoke up quietly. When the other three agents looked at him questioningly he gave a sad smile and continued. "Elsie Thomas, the woman, went missing the same day of my Aunt Bonnie's funeral. I remember reading the paper and seeing her disappearance. We weren't called in on that one for whatever reason, I don't remember. Odd, you know, I think about her every year when the date of Bonnie's death and her funeral comes around."

Vivian smiled softly at the wistfully sad tone in Martin's voice. He shook himself subtly as he noticed her glance and realized the room had gotten quiet.

"Anyway, now that you mention it, I read the article about them finding a body last week, but I didn't know they had confirmed her identity."

Agent Clark looked at Martin as he replied, "They haven't released her identity to the paper yet. They probably will in the next couple of days since DNA has confirmed her identity and the family have now been notified. We asked them to hold off telling the press until we got a chance to review all the files and question some of the witnesses again.

We'll only get a day maybe two before it will have to hit the press once we start questioning witnesses, won't take long for people to see through our cover of just a routine follow up especially with the news already reporting a body of a woman being found, still –"Clark trailed off thoughtfully as Martin met his gaze and gave a slight nod of understanding.

"Anyway, Agent Johnson, I guess that didn't fully answer your question. Agent Mitchell and I have been following these cases for the last six years. Actually we've been together for about three. The first cases appeared in Seattle. Three women all disappeared, all found within a year, year and a half, all found in various parks near duck ponds.

Agent Mitchell worked those cases there. It wasn't until we had some cases in Colorado that we were able to link up and I came on board. We've found two bodies in Colorado and there's a chance that at least two other women who are still missing are part of this case but without the bodies, it's impossible to know.

We've had one case in DC and even some in Pennsylvania, but this is the only time we've had two surface so quickly. Of course, again, one case is from three years ago and the other earlier this week, still there's a chance the killer has remained in this area, so we're here. Usually we don't find the trail until after a significant period of time has passed. Right now the trail is hot and we're determined to find him."

"I read that even today there are bodies surfacing of missing women that were possible victims of Ted Bundy and the Green River Killer." Martin added. When he was given strange looks by Jack and Vivian he just dipped his head a bit and said: "What, I read."

Jack just sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Agent Fitzgerald is right," Clark added a bit for Martin's defense, "I don't have to tell you how many people go missing each year, any one of you could quote me the stats for how many people are missing in New York State –"

"Over 4000" Jack, Vivian and Martin all replied simultaneously.

Clark gave a small smile, "See what I mean. Some are runaways, some just up and left and changed their name, some are kidnapped and held somewhere even to this day, some are dead and the possibilities are endless. Across 50 states there are so many more and from what we can tell this guy, this killer, is not afraid to travel, already we've got four states from west, to southwest to northeast, there's no pattern other than how he kills and where he leaves the body. Some bodies are missing for years and others, like Barbara Harrison appear within a day, how many more are out there?"

Agent Clark stopped speaking and reflectively stared at the various boards in the room that depicted the faces of those victims that were known to have been murdered by this killer as well as a couple of photographs of women they suspected. Jack and Vivian and Martin were also quiet as the enormity of the undertaking was no stranger to them either.

The quiet moment of reflection was broken by the arrival of Agent Mitchell coming just inside the room. "Just got a call from the medical examiner's office, they're ready for us to come down and review the findings thus far on Barbara Harrison."

Jack and Agent Clark turned and left the room both having been previously invited for the meeting. Vivian and Martin continued to go through the files trying to provide fresh eyes to the investigation. Vivian concentrated on the Pennsylvania and DC cases while Martin worked on the Colorado files.

**One week later: Friday May 18****th****, 2007**

**MPU Office 8:00 p.m**.

"Martin, go home. We've done all we can right now." As usual Martin was still in the office long past the others having already left, the others except Jack that is.

"I'm almost finished." Martin raised his head distractedly from the files that were spread in front of him at the small table in the middle of the bullpen. "All these women, Jack, and now this killer, this monster is here. We've had Barbara Harrison fall prey to this animal and now Jo Anne Mills."

Martin was talking about the case that had come to the team this past Monday morning that started out similar to all their other cases, a frantic phone call, tearful, fearful friends and family, long hours of interviews, endless searches through financial records, an angry boyfriend threatening to punch the agent in the nose for inferring that either of them were cheating, bad take-out food designed to fuel the body long enough to question one more witness, follow up on one more of a hundred tips.

In the end, Vivian and Martin had had the grim task of driving to the scene with the familiar police tape, the familiar officer guarding the entrance to the scene trying to keep back the hovering bystanders who wanted to gawk unabashedly at the poor dead woman who had been stripped of all her dignity and privacy as she was thrown away to rot by a duck pond, naked, neck grotesquely angled, legs spread so there was no question of the violation.

All the agents in the MPU, along with Mitchell and Clark were counting this as the third victim of this unknown killer, or Unsub, as the FBI profilers termed him. Mitchell and Clark readily pointed out that there was an extreme escalation in the killer's behavior for him to have taken two women in as many weeks. No one knew what had caused the escalation since besides the method of kill and the location of the body dump, there was little to go on. So far no one had come forward to indicate that they'd had a similar occurrence but had managed to escape. All anyone knew was that this killer was quick, ruthless and invisible.

"What are you looking at?" Jack stood next to the table and looked at the various files that were opened and the pictures of the dead women.

"I'm looking through the files of the cases here in New York as well as the files from Seattle, and Durango. There's something about these cases that rings a bell with me, but I can't figure out what it is." Martin took a deep breath and rubbed tiredly at his eyes.

Jack picked up one of the files and read the cover summary page: Alicia Calhoun, last seen February 2004, 5'8'' 155 pounds, brown hair, green eyes, occupation dietician, Children's Hospital in Philadelphia; last seen skiing vacation with friends in Durango, Colorado. Jack put the file down and looked again at the table; there were at least seven or eight other files.

"I'm not sure why that case rings a bell with me." Martin said indicating the file Jack had just read. "I remember two of these other cases from when I was out in Seattle. Our team didn't work the investigations but once we got called in to assist with searching a site." Martin stopped for a moment and Jack saw a shadow cross the agent's face.

"It was pretty grim work as you can imagine. We found some bones, not much else. The woman had been missing about a year and a half. Actually, shortly after that I got your call offering me this job. It was eerie standing in that park and realizing that whoever had killed this woman had walked that same ground carrying that poor woman or making her walk or dragging her, by the time she was found animals had scattered what was left and it had been so long it was impossible to tell how she got to that spot."

Jack rested his hand briefly on Martin's shoulder. "Go home. It's the weekend; we finished our case. You and I know that all of this will be here on Monday. Go, take a run, climb a rock anything."

Martin gave a small grin. "Yeah, you're right. Chances are good with some rest and a little perspective I'll realize what it is about these cases that's bothering me." Martin gathered up the files. Jack stood and waited until he was sure Martin was going to leave and then he grabbed his briefcase and walked out, Martin following moments later.

The only two figures remaining on the unit were Agents Mitchell and Clark. They were too invested in these cases. They'd given up their personal lives and their personal comforts. They no longer were able to rest and find down time. This hunt had become a personal mission for them. They stayed long into the night reviewing and taking notes on the past cases as well as the current ones.

Both men read through the insights that all of Jack's team had provided in their 'fresh eyes' review of the case files and as they read into the night and over the weekend a pattern began to develop.

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

All disclaimers are found in Chapter 1.

**Chapter 3:**

**Monday, May 21****st****, 2007:**

Jack Malone wasn't someone who slept very late anyway but that didn't mean he enjoyed having his cell phone be his alarm clock at 5:45 a.m. and that displeasure was readily apparent in his voice as he answered the phone keeping his eyes firmly shut. "Malone."

"This is Lieutenant Cooper with the New York State Police. Does a Martin Fitzgerald work with you?"

"Yeah, he's one of my agents." Jack's eyes were opened now as he sat up in bed and turned on a light, grabbed his watch and looked to see the time.

"Sir, we've got a vehicle here on the Saw Mill River Parkway about a mile north of Exit 37. The vehicle registration comes back to a Martin Fitzgerald. We checked him out and came up with your number to call."

"Exit 37, what's he doing all the way up there?" Jack wondered aloud.

"Sir, we haven't towed the vehicle yet since the registration came back to an FBI agent. We're going to need someone to come up here and also, I need to tell you that there was a woman driving the car."

"What?"

"That's right, sir. Routine patrol spotted the vehicle crashed against the guard rail. When the officer checked the vehicle, he found the unconscious woman. She appears to have been raped and there was a stocking around her neck that someone had used to try and strangle her. Lucky for her she got away. She's been transported to the hospital, but she's still unconscious and is still being examined."

"All right. What about Agent Fitzgerald how badly was he hurt?" Jack rubbed a hand through his hair and then over his face trying to wake himself up more.

"Sir, Agent Fitzgerald wasn't in the car."

"What?" Jack was quite awake at that point.

"Sir, I understand that he's your agent and…oh, hell, this will be a PR nightmare once the word leaks out and all and…sir, we've received the alerts about a possible killer after that nurse from Mt. Sinai, what I'm trying to say is that I can only keep this quiet for a short period of time."

"What are you talking about Lieutenant Cooper?"

"Sir, only about a mile away from here is a small little park with a duck pond. On a hunch I sent one of my men there just to have a look around. He found a woman's shoe that matches the shoe of the woman driving your agent's vehicle. He also found a badge…it's Agent Fitzgerald's."

Jack was stunned and couldn't speak for a moment. Then he recovered and went into action.

"I'll have two of my agents meet you at your location within the next 90 minutes. Keep everything under wraps for now. We don't have anything concrete until we speak to the victim."

Receiving assurance from the lieutenant that his commands would be followed, Jack hit the speed dial on his phone for Martin. He wasn't surprised when the call went directly to voice mail but that did little to quiet the dread that was developing in his gut. Not wanting to be less than thorough he quickly dialed in Martin's beeper number giving his own cell as the call back and then without waiting for the unlikely response, he dialed Martin's home number. He came away with nothing for his efforts save the slight satisfaction of being thorough. With one final resigned sigh he pressed Danny's speed dial designation and waited.

"Taylor." Jack grimaced, Danny sounded too damn cheery in the morning.

"Danny, it's Jack. I need you to get a hold of Elena and head up the Saw Mill River Parkway about a mile north of Exit 37 and meet Lieutenant Cooper of the State Police."

"Okay. What's the case?"

"Martin."

"What?"

"I don't know anything else other than Martin's car has been found there with a woman driving. Danny, there was no sign of Martin and the woman was possibly raped and someone tried to strangle her. Get moving and meet Lieutenant Cooper; I told him it would take you about 90 minutes to get there. Try to do it faster than that. They've agreed to keep it under wraps for a little while longer."

"All right. I'll call Elena and we'll head up." Danny disconnected and Jack took a moment to gather his thoughts and hit the next speed dial on his phone, after the second ring he heard Vivian's voice.

"Hello?"

"Vivian, it's Jack. I need you and Sam to get over to Martin's apartment immediately." For the second time today he gave another member of his team the scant details and felt his own worry deepen as the myriad of what ifs and possibilities rose unbidden to his mine. After Vivian told him she and Sam would be at Martin's within the hour, he headed for a fast shower and shave before the trip to the office. Not even 6:00 a.m. on Monday and he had already written this whole week off as a bad week.

**Saw Mill River Parkway: one mile north of Exit 37**

Danny and Elena pulled in behind the other cruisers and personnel that were near the taped off area around Martin's car.

"Danny." Elena's voice carried a hint of warning and he followed her gaze. His stomach tightened as he took in the figures of Agents Mitchell and Clark.

"Had to figure they'd be here. They're the point agents for these killings." Danny unhooked his seatbelt and exited the vehicle. With Elena in step beside him they approached the small group.

"Agents Taylor and Delgado. Which one of you is Lieutenant Cooper?"

A tall man with an obvious air of experience surrounding him reached forward to shake Danny and Elena's hands.

"Malone said you'd be here in around 90 minutes, you made it in 82, not bad." He gave them a wry smile and then quickly got down to the business at hand.

"All right. Patrol came across this vehicle around 4:30 this morning, Ambulance was contacted first and transported one Rachel Sanders to the hospital. EMT stated that rape was very likely, strangulation had been attempted but for whatever reason, thankfully, had not been completed. She had been beaten around the face and while the air bag had deployed in the car upon impact, she wasn't belted in so she was unconscious and has remained so at last check which was about 15 minutes ago.

We ran the vehicle, came up with Agent Martin Fitzgerald, contacted Senior Special Agent Jack Malone and here we are. Also, on a hunch based upon the recent alerts from Agents Mitchell and Clark, I sent an officer to the park that's about a mile from here. It has a nice little duck pond and is a frequent spot for joggers. Near the pond my officer found a woman's shoe that matches the other shoe Ms. Sanders was wearing as well as this."

Lieutenant Cooper offered an evidence bag to Danny who took it carefully. Inside was a badge.

"It belongs to your Agent Fitzgerald and it was found near the shoe by the duck pond."

Danny nodded quietly. "What about the car?"

"We're going to tow it to our impound yard and we're going to process it. We're almost done photographing and detailing the scene here and I have another team at the park doing the same."

"Okay. Agent Delgado and I are going to need to take a look in the car briefly and then we'll head to the park."

"No problem, it's back about a mile, take a left and go straight; there's nowhere else to go but to the park after that." Cooper was friendly yet businesslike and his eyes and tone held no judgment; just a man intent on doing his job with professionalism.

Unfortunately the same could not be said of Agent Mitchell.

"Agent Taylor, we've already been through the car, glove compartment is empty save the usual maintenance manuals and registration and insurance paperwork. There's an empty coffee mug in the cup holder and a bottle of water in the second holder. Trunk is empty except for the spare tire and the usual car tools. There's nothing of interest and I don't want you or Agent Delgado contaminating the car."

Elena restrained herself from laying a hand on Danny's arm to control him but did step slightly in front of him to block him while she spoke. "Agent Mitchell, both Agent Taylor and I have been doing this for years and we know how not to contaminate a crime scene. You also must know from your years of experience how valuable first hand information at any scene, no matter how limited, is to an investigator."

Scowling Mitchell stepped back and allowed them access. When they were done, they moved as if to head back to their vehicle to drive to the park.

"Actually, we'll split up. I'd like Agent Delgado to ride with Agent Clark while I ride with you, Agent Taylor. I'd like to ask you a few questions."

Without waiting for Danny's agreement Mitchell climbed into the passenger seat of Danny's vehicle and waited for Danny to take the driver's seat. Agent Clark gestured for Elena to walk in front of him to his car.

Danny got behind the wheel and started the engine.

"Why don't we just sit here for a minute while I ask you some questions." Mitchell phrased it as a request but there was no hint of compromise in his tone.

Danny turned the engine off after a moment and stared straight at Agent Mitchell.

"How long have you worked with Agent Fitzgerald?"

"He joined the MPU about five years ago, so since then."

"Would you say you know him pretty well?"

"As well as I know any of the others."

"What does that mean?"

"He comes to work each day, I come to work each day. I trust him with my life."

"Do the two of you spend time together outside of work?"

"Occasionally."

"But he's not someone you do things with outside of work?"

"This is a tough job, if you don't have some separation and outside interests that take you away from the job, it'll eat you up."

"So, people need coping mechanisms?"

"People need lives."

"Okay. Have you ever seen Agent Fitzgerald be inappropriate with a suspect?"

"In what way?"

"Has he ever hit a suspect?"

"No."

"No?"

"That's what I said."

"Okay. So about a year ago, when he was chasing a suspect and he hit the suspect in the face, you don't call that hitting a suspect?"

"I believe the incident you're talking about is when we were locating a missing agent. When we found the agent he had been shot and died within minutes of our arrival. We had information that the person responsible was looking to escape and was heading in the direction of Agent Fitzgerald and his team. They encountered the fleeing individual who promptly opened fire on them. Agent Fitzgerald radioed their position and that they were under fire and then continued pursuit. During that pursuit the gunman ambushed Agent Fitzgerald and hit him with a pipe knocking him down a flight of stairs. When I and the second team located the gunman on the roof just after he had attacked Agent Fitzgerald, we sought to apprehend the subject. He turned to flee back down the way he had come up only to encounter Agent Fitzgerald who, yes, stopped him with a punch to the face."

"So, the answer is yes, he has hit a suspect."

"It was ruled as an appropriate use of force."

"Regardless, he hit a suspect."

Danny watched in anger as the arrogant man actually jotted notes on his pad of paper.

"Do you think Agent Fitzgerald enjoys hitting suspects?"

"I don't think that at all. He hit one man and that man had fired a gun at him numerous times, hit him with a pipe and was attempting to continue to evade arrest."

"Okay. Now tell me, you and Agent Fitzgerald often team up to interview suspects, is

that right?"

"We team up with everyone on the team."

"That's fine, but you and Agent Fitzgerald team up, correct?"

"Yes."

"Now, during these interviews, do you sometimes employ the good cop/bad cop strategy?"

"Some of the time."

"Who is the bad cop?"

"What?"

"Who is the bad cop?"

"It depends on the situation. Some of the time it's Agent Fitzgerald, some of the time it's me. Each situation is different."

"You're more frequently the bad cop in these little role-playing situations, right?"

"I haven't kept track."

"Well, I mean let's face it, Agent Fitzgerald doesn't really present himself as the tough intimidating agent especially with some of the street thugs and lowlifes you deal with."

"Agent Fitzgerald can hold his own in an interview."

"Oh, I'm not denying that, I'm just saying that in all likelihood, you're a little more 'in the know' about the world and how things work and can probably portray the tough cop/bad cop persona a bit more convincingly wouldn't you say?"

"Again, I haven't kept track."

"Do you think Agent Fitzgerald ever gets frustrated that he doesn't get more of an opportunity to tell some of the scum you encounter what he really thinks of them?"

"I don't know."

"Well, you've worked with him for five years. Your desks aren't more than ten feet apart. You've been on stake outs together, you've spent long hours pouring over documents and interviewing people, surely you plan a little strategy before you go into the interview room, so, I'm sure you know his thoughts pretty well. Does he ever get frustrated that he doesn't get more of an opportunity to tell some of the scum you encounter what he thinks of them?

"Not that he's ever mentioned to me."

"Surely he gets upset that justice isn't always realized. Sometimes the bad guys win and the good guys don't, surely that bothers him."

"Is that a question?"

"That's fine, I'll move on. Now, you say that this is a stressful job."

"That's right."

"People need things to do outside of work to separate themselves from the truly horrific things you encounter?"

"Yes."

"Sports, reading, maybe a trip out of town, you know, just to get away."

"Probably."

"Maybe escape?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, I think you do. Does Agent Fitzgerald sometimes just need to escape the pressure, the horrors, maybe just disappear?"

"You're going to have to be a bit simpler in your question, I'm just a street smart, 'bad cop' I don't know what you're trying to get at."

"Does Agent Fitzgerald have any other ways besides sports or hobbies to escape the pressure, you know, drugs perhaps?"

"To my knowledge Agent Fitzgerald does not take drugs."

"Has he ever?"

"I'm sure he takes aspirin. I'm feeling the need for a couple right now."

"Well, I'll let you get some shortly. Besides aspirin, ever know him to take anything else?"

"I don't know what you want or what you think you're getting at but --"

"Is Agent Fitzgerald an addict?"

"No."

"Is Agent Fitzgerald a recovering addict?"

"Why don't you ask Agent Fitzgerald?"

"Because I'm asking you."

"Well, I decline to answer that as it has no bearing on the fact that right now he's missing!"

"Doesn't matter. We already know he goes to NA meetings."

"Well, I guess we're done then."

With that Danny turned the key in the ignition and followed the directions Lieutenant Cooper had given him. He didn't acknowledge the man in the passenger seat next to him but stared straight ahead aware that Elena and Agent Clark followed close behind.

What have you gotten yourself into, Martin? If you needed help, why didn't you call me? If you figured out who the killer was, I would have backed your play. Danny had no doubts that Martin was innocent what he didn't know was how he was mixed up in this and more importantly where was he and was he all right.

TBC…


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimers see Chapter 1

**Chapter 4:**

When Danny stopped in the little parking area he noted the presence of a couple police vehicles and one officer was standing at the head of a little walkway. He started to get out only to have Agent Mitchell lay a restraining hand on his arm.

"I'd like you to wait here for a few minutes."

Danny pulled his arm away and stared at Mitchell barely disguising the fury in his voice, "Why is that. We've already been through this, we need to see the crime scene first hand and you have no right – "

"Actually, Agent Taylor," Mitchell's voice was even but firm and his eyes held a gleam that told Danny Mitchell carried the upper hand in this discussion. "I do have the right. I am the lead agent on these series of killings and, if I have to, I'll play that card and shut you and your entire team out of this investigation entirely. I'm not going to keep you and Agent Delgado from viewing the scene, but first I want to ask Agent Delgado a few questions before I do, so stay here and we'll head up to the scene in a few minutes."

Danny seethed but decided to comply for the moment. He watched as Mitchell exited the vehicle and went back and joined Elena in the other vehicle. Not surprisingly Agent Clark came and stood quietly beside the opened passenger door of his vehicle in essence daring Danny to make a phone call. Danny decided he'd wait, no doubt Jack would suspect these two were intent to make trouble for the team and probably already had Martin's apartment being searched quickly and quietly by Vivian and Sam before these to yahoos got there. He waited and watched while Mitchell began the same routine with Elena.

"Agent Delgado, a few minutes of your time before we head up to the crime scene." Mitchell said by way of greeting as he slid into the driver's seat. She turned to look at him and caught a glimpse of Danny's face in the other vehicle. She could easily read his anger and knew that Mitchell and he had not gotten along. She wasn't surprised; Mitchell had always been aloof and a bit condescending throughout the time their teams had been interacting.

"I just want to ask you a few questions regarding Agent Fitzgerald."

"All right."

"How long have you known Agent Fitzgerald?"

"Almost two years, more like a year and a half -- since I joined the team."

"All right. So you've known him the shortest amount of time of the whole team?"

"Correct." Great, Elena thought, this guy is brilliant, I joined the team last so of course I've known Martin the shortest amount compared to the others.

"Now, tell us, is Agent Fitzgerald a good agent?"

"Yes."

"Can you elaborate?" Mitchell encouraged her to speak a little more openly.

"What would you like to know?" Elena wasn't going to start speaking in generalities, if this man wanted to know something, he was going to have to ask.

"Is he thorough in his paperwork?" Agent Mitchell asked the question with just a trace of annoyance in his voice.

"Yes."

"Agent Delgado, I'm trying to get a sense of Agent Fitzgerald. Please, in your experience as an FBI agent, is Agent Fitzgerald someone you like working with?"

"Like, yes. Trust, yes. Have I learned from him, yes." Mitchell really was getting on her nerves. She knew he was taking the circumstantial evidence and developing his own theory on what had occurred and in his eyes, Martin was guilty but Elena knew him and knew it wasn't possible.

"Again, I'm just trying to get a sense --"

No, you're trying to wheedle something from me because I'm the newest on the team. There's nothing to wheedle, but you're still going to have to ask the questions. Elena thought barely listening to the rhetoric Mitchell was spewing.

"Agent Delgado, this can go rather quickly if you would just –"

"Why don't you ask me a straight and simple question, and I will answer it. Don't ask broad sweeping questions. We're wasting time here." Elena was frustrated, didn't this guy understand the clock was ticking!

"Fine." Mitchell tried to hide his displeasure at being directed by her but she caught it easily. "In reviewing some of the cases you and Agent Fitzgerald have worked I noticed that on at least one occasion you were involved in a case involving a missing girl."

"I'd say you're mistaken. Many of our cases involve missing children, girls and boys alike; there has been more than one."

"True, but this one in particular involved child pornography."

Unbidden the images came quickly to Elena's mind of the pictures and the websites. She remembered the case now, it was shortly after she joined the team and the case started with a missing adult male only to evolve into a search for a little girl who had been pimped out by her supposed guardian.

"Yes, I remember the case."

"Now, I understand that there were quite a few pictures of the girl and others in…let's just say illicit settings and inappropriate attire."

"You could say that."

"What I want to know is, did you notice Agent Fitzgerald having any particular fascination with the pictures or the web sites. Did he appear to study them a little too closely or want to keep revisiting the sites for additional research perhaps?"

"Absolutely not!" Elena was angry at the implication. "We were all horrified and tried to look at those sites or photos as little as possible and still complete our investigation."

"You have a daughter, don't you, Agent Delgado?" Agent Clark asked.

"You know that I do." Elena answered coldly.

Clark met her flashing eyes without flinching. "Would you want Agent Fitzgerald anywhere near your little girl?"

Elena took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself. "Agent Fitzgerald is a colleague and a friend. I trust him with my life and I would and have trusted him with the life of my daughter and, if need be, I would do it again. I think we're done for now, Agent Mitchell, there's a crime scene we need to get to."

Without waiting for his reply, Elena left the vehicle and noted that Danny quickly left his and the two of them strode to the officer at the head of the little path, flashed their badges and without waiting headed to the duck pond to see what they could find.

**7:30 a.m. Martin's apartment**:

While Elena and Danny were tangling with Mitchell and Clark, Vivian and Sam entered Martin's apartment via the key Sam still carried. She looked at Vivian and blushed slightly. "I just never got around to giving it back."

Vivian smiled quietly and stood inside taking in the apartment. The living area was neat and organized. There was a couch, tv and stereo system, a bookshelf against the wall was filled with books both, fiction and nonfiction, paperback and hardcover. The drapes were pulled closed keeping the daylight out. There were several comfortable looking chairs and a desk that completed the room. The dining room was right next to the kitchen and there was plenty of evidence that Martin had been working out whatever was bothering him with the files.

Sam reached down and picked up the notepad that was covered with Martin's neat handwriting. There was a column on the left where dates, cities and names were neatly printed. Each date had the name of a city underneath and a woman's name underneath that. Sam recognized each of the names of the women who had been murdered over the past seven years from the files Mitchell and Clark had shared. The next column contained another list: Guys came to visit and rock climb near Rainier; Skiing trip, Golfing trip, moved to NYC guys came, golfing trip, scouting NYC, moved to NYC.

"Viv, Martin's got a list here for each of the murders that we have files for. He's listed events next to each date."

"Yeah, and I think I know what he figured out." Vivian was standing on the other side of the table and had been looking at the various calendars and day planners that Martin had scattered on the table.

"Look at this, Sam: February 2004, ski trip with the guys. It doesn't list any names just the dates and 'the guys. Here's another one, August 2001, Mt. Rainier, rock climbing with the guys. Again, no names and then July 2002, just moved to NYC, guys coming to celebrate."

"He's got another page of names, dates and places here." Sam looked at Vivian and the fear in her eyes was easily read. "There's a list of at least five other women that have been murdered. They were murdered in Sacramento and Chicago. He's scribbled a note about training seminars. I'd have to check with Jack, but I don't think Martin ever went to Chicago or Sacramento for any training."

"What if Martin figured out who the killer was and went to stop him." Vivian thought aloud.

Both agents shared a knowing look, Martin would do that, especially if he knew who it was or if he thought he knew.

"What we don't know is who that person is. All he's listed here are the dates and locations and the victims' names. I wonder why he didn't write down any names." Vivian continued to think aloud.

"Hmmm." Sam murmured mechanically. Sam's thoughts were on Martin. She knew there was no way he could be the killer. She shuddered involuntarily and closed her eyes against the pain she envisioned he had felt as he these lists came together and the awful truth had been revealed to him.

Vivian didn't notice Sam's distraction as her thoughts were also on her missing colleague. What had he felt as he discovered who the killer was and then gone off to confront him. She knew he had been torn between being a federal agent and a friend that had discovered a terrible, monstrous part of another friend. She understood why he hadn't called any of the others for help, how do you even start the conversation?

She held the calendar marking the year 2002 and flipped slowly through the pages and found the entry she knew she would find. July 12th, Jack Malone called and offered me the position on his team!!! It was circled in red. Vivian smiled sadly knowing that, if it were in Martin's character, he would have placed a huge smiley face in the box as well.

Hang on, Martin, we'll find you. We won't stop until we find you. Vivian sent the plea silently through her mind and hoped that wherever he was, he knew they were looking.

**Small Park off Saw Mill River Parkway**:

Mitchell and Clark followed behind Danny and Elena catching up to them just as they arrived at the little picnic area that looked over at the duck pond. The ducks were flocked on the far side of the pond and they were loudly letting everyone in earshot know they weren't happy having their space invaded by crime scene tape and officers with radios that blurted messages at intermittent intervals complete with static and occasional feedback.

Mitchell and Clark gave the area a perfunctory scan. They'd already been briefed by Lieutenant Cooper and a quick sketch had already been made of the site and the location of where each item had been found. Now only little cones were left identifying the location of the shoe and the badge. After a few minutes of noting the placement of the items and scanning the area for possible hiding places, Mitchell and Clark turned away and headed back to their car leaving Danny and Elena scowling in their wake.

"They do leave a lot to be desired for how they search for clues." Danny groused.

"They're used to sites with dead bodies long since abandoned and any clues for an immediate lead have also long since disappeared. We're used to looking for clues of what occurred in any given location. To us a site is a story; to them it's the end." Elena thoughtfully mused.

Danny gave her an appraising look. "You've come a long way, Agent Delgado. You've come a long way." He nudged her shoulder teasingly and then stood still and scanned the entire area.

"Danny, this looks like a spot where somebody was struggling with someone else." She walked over to the grassy area where there was a clear indication that something or someone had landed heavily. The grass was flattened and some of the twigs and small pieces of branches that typically fell to the ground were broken. Just beyond the area in the dirt were footprints that were scuffed and a couple of places looked as if something or someone had been dragged or perhaps was crawling.

Danny was frustrated by Mitchell's lack of diligence in scanning the scene fully and he motioned to the officer who was guarding the scene to tape of those areas as well. Elena and Danny followed the trail of broken branches, occasional scuff marks and flattened patches of grass about 50 feet where they came up to a small stone barrier.

Leaning over the little barrier Danny realized that it wasn't so much a barrier as just a natural formation and that on the other side was a drop that while it went easily 15 to 20 feet before it leveled off would be easily traversed by someone who was hiking for the day. It wasn't very steep, but it did have plenty of rocks protruding from the dirt as well as roots sticking up from shrubs that dotted the little incline.

He looked down and saw a branch lying in the dirt near the rock formation. Since there weren't any other tree branches of that size lying on the ground in that area Danny crouched down and gave it a closer look. Slipping a glove on one hand he lifted the branch and examined it carefully, he noted a smear at one edge and his heart lurched in his throat, blood.

"Elena, I've got what I think is blood."

Elena came up beside him and examined it as well. Their eyes met and with sadness they both nodded. Looking again over the rocks and down the incline Danny made his decision.

"I'm going down to see if there's anything or –" Danny couldn't finish the thought. Elena nodded and pulled out her cell phone to update Jack on what they'd found and Mitchell's separate 'conversations' with each of them. Another crime scene team would need to scour this area.

Danny slowly worked his way down the slope. He tried not to disturb any rocks in case someone Martin was down there. He followed a direct line from where the piece of wood had been found figuring that, if whoever had been struck by it had fallen down this way, he'd be on their track.

At the bottom he found two things he hoped he wouldn't find and one that he was both relieved not to find but discouraged because he didn't know where to look for him next. At the spot where the terrain leveled out he saw a rock that had been dislodged from its original spot as the ground bore testimony to its movement, beside the rock was a dark spot on the ground that was covered with insects. Experience told him it was blood. The next thing he found was a cell phone. He didn't have to pick it up and look at it to know that it was Martin's, but he flipped open his own phone and hit the speed dial for Martin's phone. Within seconds the phone on the ground vibrated and the little red light flashed on and off.

"Where are you, Martin?" Danny bagged the phone and returned up top where Elena was in the process of updating Jack.

**MPU Office: 11:00 a.m.**

Jack watched the elevator light descend from Van Doren's floor to his own. He'd given her an update on what little the team knew at the time and was relieved that she had told him that Martin's father was out of the country at a conference in Japan. Jack felt that for once there was a little luck on their side as he didn't want to contend with Victor Fitzgerald at that moment and Paula indicated that while she he was in the process of returning home, it would take Victor a significant amount of time.

Upon returning to his office he was greeted with an annoying sight, Agents Mitchell and Clark had taken it upon themselves to enter his office and were sitting in the chairs across from his desk. He knew the two men had left Danny and Elena hours earlier and Van Doren had just informed him that they had secured a warrant to search Martin's apartment. Their presence in his office indicated they had completed that task. Jack was only glad Vivian and Sam had gotten there first. Jack wasn't sure if these two were interested in the truth or just in pinning the crimes on a convenient target.

"By all means, gentlemen, make yourselves at home." Jack's gruff voice did not even cause either man to look up from their notepads much less stand at his entrance.

Jack walked around to the back of his desk and resumed his seat. "Well."

"Agent Malone, perhaps it would be best if we spoke in private." Mitchell started.

Jack looked around his office that was empty of any other person beside himself and the two agents across from him. "So, do you need an exorcism to get rid of the ghosts or is that your way of telling me you've turned off the bugs?" Jack could feel the headache growing behind his eyes, this was not going to be a good day.

"I meant perhaps we should talk with the door closed." Mitchell responded tightly.

Jack's response was to wave at the door and when it didn't close by itself, Agent Clark stood up and closed the door.

"Agent Malone, how well do you know Agent Fitzgerald?"

"Well enough, why?"

"I guess what I'm asking is do you really know who he is?"

"I don't know what color his pajamas are or what side of the bed he sleeps on if that's what you're asking." Jack's temper was rising quickly.

"It's not. Do you trust Agent Fitzgerald?"

"With my life."

"Would you trust him with your daughters' lives?"

"I don't trust anyone with my daughters' lives. Get to the point."

"Agent Malone, we've found Agent Fitzgerald's car, driven by a woman who has been raped, beaten and almost strangled. The location where this happened fits with all the previous murdered women not only here but in Seattle and Colorado. Agent Fitzgerald's badge was found lying near the woman's shoe and now your agent is missing and not answering his phone or pager. We searched his apartment and while there is nothing there of any material evidence, we have impounded his computer and your tech specialist is going through it right now. I think it's safe to say that Agent Fitzgerald is our killer."

"I think it's safe to say there's evidence that that he's been in close proximity to some of the killings but then so have you. Not to mention that all the evidence regarding Martin's car and this attacked woman is circumstantial. For all we know he came upon the crime, intervened and was injured and taken prisoner or worse."

"Agent Malone, I don't think you understand the psychosis of a serial killer. They most often stick to very similar patterns and rarely, if ever, do they go from mutilating and murdering women to kidnapping men. If this mythical killer you've conjured up had gotten the better of your Agent Fitzgerald, it's likely he would have killed him on the spot, not spirited him away."

"Do you know that Agent Fitzgerald likes to ski?" Clark's question caught Jack off guard but his experience kept him from showing it in his facial expressions.

"Yes, I do."

"Yeah, I was talking to him when we first got here. I mentioned I was from Colorado and we got to talking about skiing. Turns out Agent Fitzgerald has visited my home state several times over the years. He even did some skiing in Durango about three or four years ago, although he said he couldn't pinpoint the year."

"And your point is?" Jack was rapidly tiring of this game of cat and mouse, especially since he was the mouse.

"My point is that I did a little checking, as it turns out Fitzgerald was in Durango during the time period that Alicia Calhoun went missing. He's lived in Seattle during the first disappearances and now he's here in New York City and we've got three additional missing and probably murdered women."

"So far all you have is coincidence." Jack didn't like the glint of victory in Mitchell's eyes.

"There's an awful lot of coincidence Agent Malone. I'm sure you can see why we're more than a little curious about Agent Fitzgerald. We've been told that it's not likely that Rachel Sanders will regain consciousness for us to talk to her until later today. We've already spoken with Agents Taylor and Delgado and as your other two agents, Johnson and Spade, are in the outer office, we're going to be interviewing them. After that we're going to go through all the phone records, credit card and bank statements and all the other material you've spent the morning combing through. We'll find Fitzgerald; we've waited too long to find our killer."

Jack snorted as the two men rose and headed for his office door. "Do you want the killer, or will anybody do?"

He watched them stop at his voice but not turn back to look at him. Both men went across the hall and Jack watched as Mitchell spoke with Vivian and she rose and followed him to an interview room. Clark sat near Samantha and started reviewing his notes while Sam glanced first in the direction Vivian had disappeared, then once in his direction before going back to her work.

**Interview Room #1**:

"Agent Johnson, please take a seat." Agent Mitchell started as he placed his notepad on the table and claimed a chair.

"I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me."

"Of course." Vivian was not impressed with Mitchell right now. She knew he was dedicated to finding the killer of all these women but right now her focus was on finding Martin and every second counted.

"Okay. How long have you known Agent Fitzgerald?"

"Five years."

"Is that when he joined the MPU?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Now, would you say that he's a good agent?"

"Yes, I would."

"Do you think he likes his job?"

"I would say so, yes."

"Do you think he takes the job to heart?"

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"I'm wondering if perhaps the job becomes a bit overwhelming for him, you know, perhaps he doesn't know how to leave it behind at the end of the day?"

"I think any agent who is dedicated to what they do encounters that in their career." Vivian responded evenly.

"Have you ever been concerned about Agent Fitzgerald's professionalism?"

"What do you mean?"

"Has he ever displayed any behavior that concerned you?"

"Concerned me how?"

The corner of Mitchell's lip twitched in annoyance. "All right. Has Agent Fitzgerald every lost his temper?"

"Yes, as have I."

"That's fine, but I'm only interested in Agent Fitzgerald. Now, when he lost his temper, did anyone get hurt?"

"Yes."

"Can you describe that situation?"

"I could but, since it's a matter of official record and both Agent Fitzgerald and I were thoroughly questioned and cleared of any wrongdoing, you can read the file yourself."

"Agent Johnson –"

"Listen, I know what you're after or what you think you're after but I will tell you this: Agent Martin Fitzgerald is a dedicated, intelligent agent. He risks his life for his partners and for the people we are out trying to help. I trust him with my life. Now, I'm quite certain the couple of minutes that I told you I was able to spare are up."

Vivian stood up, carefully replaced the chair at the table before turning and exiting the room pulling the door closed behind her.

She walked to the bullpen pausing at Martin's desk. As usual everything was in place except he wasn't there. She fingered his name plate with one hand while the other unconsciously patted the back of his chair. Her mind went back to almost two weeks ago to Wednesday May 16th when the second body had been found and the horrific murders hadn't yet turned out to be a nightmare of personal consequence to the team…

Vivian opened the passenger door and stepped from the sedan. Her partner, Martin, did likewise from the driver's side. They had been called to Central Park after the body of a young female had been found. Oddly, her driver's license was right next to her body allowing for easy identification and was the reason the Martin and Vivian had been dispatched.

The woman's name was Jo Anne Mills and they had been on her missing person's case since Monday of this week. Now, two days after the woman had been reported missing, she had been found. Both agents showed their badges to the officer guarding the taped off entrance to the crime scene and then proceeded up the path and then followed the track up a small hill until they came to the spot where the medical examiner was just completing his initial pronouncements while a small flock of ducks quacked agitatedly from their little pond.

"... by the rate of decomposition she was likely killed shortly after she disappeared. Obviously I'll be able to tell you more definitively once the autopsy is done and tissue and toxicological tests are complete. Obvious signs are asphyxiation due to the ligature around the throat; her neck was also broken between the C3 and C4 vertebrae. She was bound at some point judging from the marks on her wrists and ankles and judging from other damage readily visible she was raped. Again, a kit will confirm that."

Martin and Vivian stood quietly taking in the horrific scene in front of them. Both were seasoned in their work and had seen more than their share of these sites but it still never got to be normal for either of them.

Later, as they were sitting in their car getting ready to head back to the office Martin turned to Vivian sadly.

"It never gets any easier."

"No, it doesn't." Vivian paused for a moment and let the sad silence settle around them. "I guess the only positive we can take away from this is that we can bring some closure to the family."

Martin snorted softly. "I was just saying that to a friend this past weekend. He was asking me how I dealt with the violence and the sorrow and all that we see and I told him that one consolation was being able to bring closure – to bring home the loved one to their family and friends even if that meant they were dead that knowing was better than not knowing."

"I think it is. I hope it is." Vivian wasn't certain who she was trying to convince since in this conversation they were both on equal footing despite her greater years of experience.

"I hope so, too." Martin started the car, backed it up and swung it around only to pause before putting it into drive, "You know, Viv, you're right when you say to put it in a box. If you don't, it just eats you alive until you can no longer function. Sometimes though, I have to open that box and look inside, otherwise, it just seems disrespectful. It seems as if they didn't matter."

Vivian nodded thoughtfully at that. As Martin put the car in drive and slowly headed out of the park and back to the office she looked in the side mirror and watched the scene behind them disappear. Whoever had done that to that woman, defiled her body, ended her life and threw her away obviously didn't care about her, was it enough that there were people like Martin who did even if it was too late?

**Present Day, Monday, May 21****st****, 2007**:

Vivian stared a moment longer at Martin's desk and then squared her shoulders and set to work. She wasn't about to allow him to become one of those cases that gets put into a box and the lid closed; it didn't matter that someone lifted the lid and respectfully remembered from time to time, she wasn't going to let it happen.

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimers can be found in Chapter 1

**Chapter 5:**

Martin woke slowly. His head was pounding and even with his eyes closed he was certain the room was spinning. For several minutes he lay still slowly allowing his mind to piece together all the signals his body was telling him. After moving past the crushing pain in his skull, he realized that his shoulder, arms and back were tense, aching and in some cases numb. Not wanting to move more than he had to he concentrated on those parts of his body and before long realized he was handcuffed, his hands behind him and that he was laying on his side on a hard surface.

Working further down his body he read the nerve impulses from his legs and recognized those messages as aches and pains akin to bruises and cuts but nothing broken. He didn't remember why he was so relieved that nothing was broken, he just knew that he was relieved. After laying still and cataloguing the various aches and pains in his body, he gradually became aware that he wasn't hearing the typical noise associated with being in a city. His sense of smell also became clear and he realized that he smelled a musty odor like stale air and perhaps even some moisture that hadn't been allowed to escape and had developed a bit of mildew in some hidden corner.

Finally he decided it was time to make the big move and open his eyes. He was more than slightly surprised to find that it was difficult to open his eyes. He struggled to open both eyes and realized that they felt stuck together. After a few tries he was able to open them and the room he was in slowly spun in and out of focus. He felt a wave of nausea rush over him and he gasped and slammed his eyes shut again as he rode out the dizzy spell.

After a few minutes he felt the dizziness ease and he slowly opened his eyes again. As the room swam into view again he noticed that something had changed. Now in front of him were two blue jean clad legs that ended in a pair of hiking boots. Not wanting to lift his head he just lay there in a partial stupor as he tried to remember whose legs went with those jeans, something in the back of his mind was trying to break through, and he knew he was supposed to grasp it.

The figure in front of him squatted down to look at him closer. Martin dazedly blinked several times trying to clear his eyes and remove what he now suspected was dried blood from his eyelids so he could focus on the person in front of him. The figure in front of him blurred in and out of focus and he couldn't keep the features clear.

"Help me." Martin uttered weakly. His mouth was dry and his throat was dry and the words scraped raw along his vocal chords.

"Martin, you couldn't just leave it alone could you. No, that's too much to ask. I knew you'd figure it out, thought it would take a little bit longer though tell you the truth, buddy."

Martin stared stupidly at the figure, his head was threatening to split wide open and he couldn't understand what it was he was supposed to have figured out. The voice was familiar. He struggled to focus on the features of the man in front of him. Why didn't the man help him? Was help on the way? Where were they? As he succumbed again to the beckoning darkness he tried once more.

"Help."

The man laughed at Martin's plea and watched his eyes roll back in his head as he slipped back unconscious. This hadn't been in his plan, at least not yet, but the thrill was all in the danger and in the willingness to walk on the edge. Well, he was walking on the edge now, and he was going to enjoy it as long as he could.

Getting up he toed Martin's unconscious form a couple times as if to reassure himself that he was, in fact, unconscious. When Martin didn't react to that or when he was rolled full on his back, pinning his handcuffed hands and arms beneath him, he was satisfied and headed out of the little cabin.

**MPU Interview Room #1**:

"Sit down, Agent Spade."

Samantha pulled out the chair and sat across from Agent Mitchell eyeing him warily.

"How long have you known Agent Fitzgerald?"

"About five years."

"How did you meet?"

"When he joined the MPU."

"And that was five years ago?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Now, did you know him prior to him joining the MPU?" 

"Like I already said, he joined the MPU five years ago and that's when I met him."

"Okay. How has your working relationship with Agent Fitzgerald been over the five years?"

"Very good."

"What does that mean?"

"What does what mean?"

"Very good. What does that mean?"

"It means it's been very good." Sam was fast losing what was left of her patience.

"All right. Have you ever seen Agent Fitzgerald angry?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"When was he angry?"

"Yes. When did you see Agent Fitzgerald angry?"

"I don't know – I don't recall a specific date and time."

"Well, is he angry a lot of the time, a little of the time?" 

"It's rare."

"But you have seen him angry?"

"Yes."

"And did that cause you concern?"

"What, seeing him angry?"

"Yes, did seeing him angry cause you concern?"

"No."

"Why is that?"

"People get angry, Agent Mitchell, I see angry people every single day." And you're about to see me angry if you keep this up, Sam thought to herself while out loud she was saying: "Sometimes I get angry. The fact that Agent Fitzgerald got angry occasionally did not then nor does it now, cause me any concern."

"Okay. Thank you. Now, you and Agent Fitzgerald dated for a while didn't you?"

"I don't think that's any of your business." 

"Well, Agent Spade, with all due respect I'll decide what is or is not my business. Did you and Agent Fitzgerald date?"

"Why are you doing this? You want to know if Agent Fitzgerald was ever angry and now you want to know if we dated, this is ridiculous. You're taking scattered pieces and trying to recreate an image that you already have. You're trying to pin these murders on Martin without looking at the facts. I showed your partner Clark the list that Martin had been working on. He didn't kill those women, he figured out who did and he went after him."

"Agent Spade, please just answer the question. I'm not getting into your little theory at this moment. We'll look at all the evidence but so far all that list does is confirm that Agent Fitzgerald was in all of the places at the time the women were murdered and that keeps him at the top of our suspect list, so I'll ask you again, did you and Agent Fitzgerald date?"

"Yes, Agent Fitzgerald and I dated for a period of time." Sam gritted her teeth as she answered the question.

"Thank you. When you were dating, did you ever have any concern about his temper, that he might hit you?"

"Absolutely not!" Sam was shocked and blurted out her answer angrily.

"When you and Agent Fitzgerald were dating was he ever rough with you?"

"No, never." Sam emphasized coldly.

"Was he ever rough or kinky with you when it came to sex?"

"This interview is over." Sam stood up so quickly the chair she had been seated on was overbalanced and fell backwards to the floor.

She moved quickly to the door but the sharp voice of Agent Mitchell stopped her.

"Agent Spade, if you really want to help Agent Fitzgerald, you'll answer the question, otherwise, we'll just have to go more public with this interview and involve a whole lot of people. It will get very embarrassing, very quickly, and we're trying to avoid that if at all possible."

Sam turned, keeping her hand resting on the door knob and stared balefully at Agent Mitchell.

"No, he was never rough with me. No, he never wanted to 'do it' in any kinky ways or places, no, he never demanded anything of me sexually." She nearly spit the words out. God, but this man was an ass!

"Thank you, Agent Spade. That will be all the questions for now, but –"

Sam hadn't waited to hear what Agent Mitchell was saying. Once she heard "that will be all" she jerked open the door so hard it slammed into the wall from the force of her action. Quickly and noisily she stalked down the hallway stopping only when she reached the bullpen and saw it empty. Scanning the area quickly she saw Elena waving her to the conference room where she sat with Vivian while Danny paced the room.

Sam made her way to the conference room pausing to look across the hall to Jack's office where he looked up and met her eye, his expression blank.

**1:00 p.m. MPU Monday May 20****th****, 2007 **

Vivian, Danny, Elena and Sam were gathered in the conference room that continued to serve as Agents Mitchell and Clark's pseudo office. They were surrounded by photos and files and timelines of the missing women that were known or suspected to be connected to this murderer. Jack appeared at the door and stepped inside, behind him waiting impatiently in the bullpen, stood Mitchell and Clark.

"We're going to be upstairs with Van Doren for a little while. They've been nice enough to include me in their little briefing." The sarcasm in Jack's voice was unmistakable.

"Now, not for a second do I believe Martin is capable of any of this and all they've got is a load of circumstantial evidence and a lot of speculation. While we're gone I need you guys to make copies of everything they have on Martin as well as get copies of everything Lucy is getting off his computer. I'm not about to withhold information from them, but I can't say they'd be so open with us, and I don't want anything to be missed."

With that Jack left them and headed upstairs with Agents Mitchell and Clark.

Vivian took over and divvied up the work. "Okay. Elena and I will make sure we have duplicates of all their notes as well as their summaries of these cases around us. We also have the notes Martin left at his apartment and all his financials and phone records. We'll continue going through them and make copies. Danny, why don't you and Sam get with Lucy and see what she's got on her search of Martin's computer and see if you can assist her in copying everything there as well."

The team split up and Danny and Sam headed to the tech room where Lucy was hard at work. She looked up and gave them a small smile as they gave a quick knock on the door to alert her and then stepped in.

"Hey, guys, I'm glad it's you. I wanted to show you this before those other two started hounding me about what I've found."

Danny and Sam came around to stand behind her while she gave them a quick rundown of what she'd found so far. "Martin's computer is pretty straightforward. He does have some pretty good virus protection on there, and he does do a fair bit of internet searching, from what I can tell most of it is things like all of us do, online banking, some occasional shopping, emails to friends – which are downloaded onto this disc to be read, glad I don't have to do it, too creepy to read someone's personal emails – anyway he's been taking an online investigator's course as well as taking some business law courses over the past couple of years, either he just likes to learn or he's keeping his skills sharp or there's another career in the future, don't know but those are all straightforward.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. I've tracked his latest internet searches starting this past Friday night, and several times over the weekend. He accessed a database that tracks and filters newspaper articles. He was very specific about the types of articles he searched for and before you ask…"Lucy stopped Danny from speaking when he only had his mouth partway opened. "I've already printed the articles out, and they're in this folder right here."

Lucy tapped a blue folder to her right; Danny scooped it up and started flipping through the pages. "I also made a duplicate file for those other two." Sam and Danny both grinned as Lucy's disdain for Agents Mitchell and Clark manifested itself in a deepening of her Brooklyn accent.

"Now, those articles he was so interested in have to do with missing women in not only Seattle, Washington; Durango and Vail, Colorado; Washington D.C. as well as Crystal Lake, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; and Sacramento, California as well as good old New York City.

The other really interesting thing on his computer is a file that he's password protected and that he just created about 6:00 p.m. last night. Whatever is on the file I haven't had a chance to get to yet, and it will take a little bit of time to get through his password."

Sam and Danny exchanged quick glances and then leaned forward over Lucy's shoulder to see the file she was highlighting on the screen. The file name was 'Maltese Falcon'

Danny grinned and Sam gave him a slightly irritated look. "Did you try Sam Spade?" She suggested to Lucy.

"Yep, also tried, Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Petter Lorre, Brigid O'Shaughnessy, John Huston, Dashiell Hammett, even tried the year it was made, 1941, nothing, zip, nada." Lucy informed them.

"Except it doesn't have anything to do with the movie; it has to do with Sam." Danny told her.

"Which is why I tried your name, where you're from, your birthday, your address, the color of your eyes, I'm out of ideas." Lucy looked at Sam fingers poised ready for the next suggestion.

Sam looked uncomfortable and then said quietly "Try any variation of May 20th 2004."

"Okay." Lucy went to work trying the various ways of inputting that date. Danny gave Sam a crooked little grin and nudged her with his elbow. "So what's the thing with May 20th, 2004?"

She glared at him and he met her glare head on with his cocky grinning face. "Wipe that smile of your face, Taylor. Elena and I are friends. I have no problem with having a girl talk session with her about you, if you don't cut it out."

Danny held up his hands in surrender. "All right. All right. Just asking, must have been special though if you remember the date and figure that Martin did, too."

"Special…" Sam's voice trailed off as she sifted through her memories of her and Martin. Danny was right, Martin would choose a password that's special.

"Come on, Spade, did you two have any pet names for each other, places you liked to go, besides the obvious."

"We didn't have nicknames for each other and as for special places to go…I usually held him back. I just…" Sam's voice faded away as a bittersweet memory started to surface.

"I know, Sam. You just weren't ready to go public. Still there has to be something, some special moment between the two of you that only you would know." Danny was watching her closely and could see the gears shifting in her head.

Lucy remained quiet, she knew this team was close and had guessed that Martin and Sam had perhaps been a bit closer than the rest but she wasn't into office gossip, her job was to open this file and do whatever it took to find their missing agent, so she just sat quietly and waited.

"Lucy, try…" Sam paused for a moment, while she hoped this was the right password a part of her also hoped it wasn't because it would just be a reminder of how she had played such a large part in their failed relationship. "Try, 'College Girl'."

Lucy nodded and tapped the appropriate keys and instantly the file opened.

On the screen appeared a list similar to the one that Vivian and Sam had found at Martin's apartment only this one contained more details. Next to the dates for the missing women and the locations where they went missing were the names of the "guys" Martin had alluded to in his handwritten list.

"Lucy, print that file and then I need you to go through his email and get the addresses of these names. Also, does he keep phone numbers and addresses in his email files?" Sam was starting to feel a ray of hope. Martin, I knew you'd leave us a trail to follow.

"Yeah, I checked his email address book when I printed his emails, names, addresses, phone numbers, even birthdays, kids' names, everything. He's very systematic."

"Remind me not to tease him so much about being so detail-oriented when we catch up with him." Danny said, like Sam he was feeling some hope.

Leaving Lucy to pull down the personal information from Martin's electronic address book, Sam and Danny took seats at the small conference table in the middle of the bullpen and started reading the list Martin had been compiling.

"All right. He's got August 2001, rock climbing, Mt. Rainier: Steven, Cameron, Daniel.

Next there's July 2002 apartment warming in NYC, Steven, Cameron, Daniel and Tyler. In 2004 he's listed February, ski trip, Tyler, Steven, Cameron, Daniel. There's also a golf weekend in DC in 2006, Steven, Cameron, Daniel and Tyler and Aunt Bonnie's funeral, but he hasn't listed any names."

"Yeah, and on this second page he's listed dates for Chicago and Sacramento as well, but he hasn't put any names to the dates. Sam, where did you and Viv put the calendars that you brought from Martin's apartment?"

"They're here on Viv's desk." When Danny gave her a little crooked smile she hastened to add, "We weren't keeping them from Mitchell, he just didn't ask for them, yet."

Danny winked at her and then grabbed the calendar books. He checked the dates that Martin had logged on his computer and flipped the various calendars to those dates. In frustration he tossed them back on the table.

"Nothing. There's no notes or memos about any of these guys he's already listed that correspond. In fact, he was here during all of those dates."

"So that is something we can use. It proves Martin was here during all those women's disappearances."

"Yes, it does. Hey, do any of those articles talk about the condition of the women's bodies when they were found?"

"Let me see, " Sam rapidly scanned the half dozen or so articles Martin had printed off. "None of these articles indicate these women have been found, just that they've gone missing."

"Any of those articles recent or are they just the articles written when the women went missing?" Danny was anticipating the answer and headed to his computer while Sam was replying.

"No, they're all articles to do with when the women went missing." She watched as Danny accessed the missing person's database and called out the first name to him without him having to ask. One by one they went through all the missing women's names and one by one all the responses came back the same, none of the women had yet been found.

"So, it's enough to show that he wasn't there when the women went missing, but we have no way to tie those disappearances to these current murders." Sam found the bloom of hope fading away inside her.

"No, just like we're arguing circumstantial evidence against Martin's involvement in any of this, Mitchell and Clark will turn that argument back on us and say there's no indication those disappearances have anything to do with Martin and that perhaps he was just laying a false trail."

Danny leaned back in his chair and absently swiveled side to side as his mind went over what they already knew. His mind kept returning to the grim site of that tree branch with the dried blood smeared on it and the dried blood stain in the dirt at the bottom of the hill.

It was impossible to tell just how much blood had soaked into the ground and how much had already been devoured by the bugs, so he kept reminding himself not to think the worst but he knew it was Martin's blood even though the lab analysis on the branch hadn't returned yet. How badly was Martin hurt? Was he still bleeding? Was he even still alive?

After a few moments he focused on Sam and watched her as she sifted and sorted through the various newspaper articles without seeming to concentrate on them. He knew he wasn't the only one having moments when concentrating was difficult. Sam paused in her actions as she realized that Danny has walked to her side and placed his hand lightly on her shoulder.

"What?"

Danny waited a moment not wanting to push Sam too much; for he knew if he did she would put up a strong front, hide her emotions and not bend.

"You know we'll find him, right?" he tried to reassure her instead.

"Yes... no, honestly, I'm not sure we'll find him" she kept her eyes locked on the name over the file Martin Fitzgerald, her vision blurred on the words as she tried to hold the tears back that had been threatening to flood her eyes. 

"We will, Sam" he repeated, and in an effort to lighten the mood and he put a small smile on his face and added, "So I can ask him." 

"Ask him what?" Sam asked absently, fingers lightly outlining Martin's name on the folder. 

"How you knew how to open that file." he smiled genuinely now "You won't tell  
me, right?" 

She smiled back and blushed ever so slightly. "He called me that once." A small sad smile danced on her face as her eyes took on a distant look.

Danny grinned a bit and then softly asked, "When?"

Sam shook herself out of her reverie and looked squarely at him. "It was just after Jack got me out of the bookstore, when I had been shot. The EMTs were loading me into the ambulance and Martin was there. I was so cold and shaking, I was going into shock and I – I was shaking so badly and he just put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Hey, College Girl." I don't know, Danny, it made me feel better somehow. Silly I suppose, he never called me that again, but at that moment, I felt better."

Danny was about to reply when Lucy zipped into the bullpen with a stack of papers. "Here's all the addresses and phone numbers from his electronic address books."

Vivian and Elena appeared with stacks of folders and looked curiously at the pile in front of Danny and Sam. They brought the other two up to speed on what they had found and the team settled in for a round at the phones. Martin's address book showed two Stevens and two Tylers so it was going to make their calls that much more difficult but they were hard at work for the next couple of hours and failed to do more than just glance up as Jack and Agents Mitchell and Clark returned from Van Doren's office.

Mitchell and Clark barely paid any attention to the intense activity in the bullpen but Jack stopped for a moment and watched his team in action. He could tell from their body language they were on the lead of something and the way each member sat in their chair or worked the phone he sensed that whatever they had found was positive for Martin's good name.

As much as he wanted to join them and have them bring him up to speed, he didn't want to let Mitchell and Clark out of his sight while they were speaking with Lucy and getting an update on Martin's computer. So, trusting his agents' efforts and knowing they would fill him in before long, he continued along the corridor until he reached the tech room and stepped inside and listened while Lucy filled in Mitchell and Clark on the results of her work.

Jack glanced at the clock at the back of the tech room when he entered, 3:45 p.m. The general rule of thumb when tracking a missing person was that after 48 hours the odds of finding them alive diminished significantly. Since they didn't have an exact time of when Rachel Sanders was attacked and drove off in Martin's car, they didn't have an exact time to start the clock. Had it already been 12 hours or had it been more like 18? Was he even still alive? Jack knew they were doing everything right to find Martin, he just didn't know if it was going to be enough.

TBC…


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimers can be found in chapter 1.

**Chapter 6**:

Pain. Pain in his head, pain in his shoulders, pain in his back and arms, the next time Martin came back to awareness it was because of the wracking pain and his instinctive move to roll away from it brought greater pain as he pressed heavily on one side in essence grinding his handcuffed arms and his shoulder into the ground as his weight rolled over top. Once he eased to his side, the pain on his arms and shoulder lessened slightly but the movement quickly brought rise to the next problem, dizziness, nausea and the roaring in his head.

He lay there gasping against the sensations that wracked his body until the unmistakable sounds of footprints forced his eyes open to see who was there. Once again he saw the blue jean clad legs and booted feet only this time his foggy brain grasped onto a voice, it was the voice of a friend. He had a friend there.

He watched as the figured crouched in front of him and he almost rejoiced when he recognized the somewhat blurry but unmistakable features of his good friend.

"Help me." Martin gasped out the words and felt relief as he saw his friend reach out to him. He felt the hand on his cheek but then flinched in shock as the hand withdrew only to slap his cheek sharply and then he heard laughter. Confused and hurting Martin watched fuzzily as his friend rose and walked to the other side of the room.

"Help you? I'm going to help you; I'm going to solve the riddle for you of who has been killing women."

Martin's foggy brain was having trouble focusing on his friend's words but he strained to listen and comprehend.

"What are you talking about? Where are we? Get these cuffs off me." Martin gasped out the questions in rapid fire and then still as the world grayed around him from the effort.

"Martin, Martin. I guess I hit you too hard with that branch, of course, that fall down that rocky hill didn't help either. You must have left a pretty puddle of blood at the bottom of the hill; you sure left one in the trunk of my car, not to mention you ruined one of my favorite shirts, 'course that bitch's blood would have ruined it anyway but then again, probably not, only one time did I ever get any blood on me and that was because I tried to strangle her by hand, that was the first one. After that I only ever used a ligature, much cleaner."

Martin stared trying to make sense of what he was hearing, then as if a switch turned in his head it all came rushing back to him. The visions flashed through his mind painfully and horribly clear: he was following a car up the Saw Mill River Parkway. He watched the car turn so he cut his own headlights and followed him. He stayed back just far enough to keep the car in sight and saw it turn into a little park. He parked at the edge of the lot and watched as his friend got out of his car and opened the trunk. There was just enough light from the trunk interior for Martin to make out the figure of a woman being pulled from the trunk her hands bond in front of her.

In horror he watched the woman get backhanded as she started to struggle and then she was slung over a shoulder and carried up a path. Turning his interior light off in his car he exited checking and clearing his gun from his holster. Swiftly and quietly he followed up the little path and saw them ahead in a small clearing that had two or three dimly lit decorative light poles that leant a dim illumination to the area and sparkled off the water of the pond.

He stalked slowly forward and only broke into a run when he saw that the woman was being strangled by a ligature tied around her neck. Running forward he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Federal Agent, get away from the woman!"

He was satisfied to see the jolt of surprise in the man's body as Martin burst upon his deadly little hobby. The woman was dragged to her feet by the ligature and lifted off the ground effectually cutting off her oxygen and making her a shield between Martin and her attacker.

By then Martin had too much momentum. He charged into them and knocked them both to the ground ending up sprawling past them in the process. The impact separated Martin from his gun as well as the man from the woman who immediately clawed at her throat to loosen the ligature, as she was able to breathe again she screamed.

Martin regained his footing first and delivered a solid right fist to the man's jaw knocking him to the ground, now he was between the woman and her attacker. He turned to her: "I'm a federal agent. Run, there's a car at the edge of the parking lot. The keys are in it."

He didn't have time to see if she complied or not because at that moment he was bodily slammed to the ground as her attacker launched himself at Martin screaming in fury. They grappled and stumbled along the edge of the pond with each other trading blows. Martin was amazed at the murderous intent and the frenzied strength in his opponent.

The combatants moved rapidly covering about 40 or so feet in their fight. Martin regained his feet again after having been thrown to the ground by the other man's furious strikes. Martin turned preparing to kick out and then deliver another blow when he caught the silhouette of movement coming toward his head. There was a flash of light and a burst of pain and then nothing.

The visions faded from Martin's mind and he heard laughter.

"I see you've remembered our last little 'run' in the park. Well, you spoiled my fun. That little bitch did just what you said only after I knocked you silly and you fell down that hill, she'd driven away. So, I'm left with you. You're not my type and I'll get no thrill out of killing you so I'll have to find another way to enjoy this. I just have to think of the best way to do it. After this I'll have to move on again. Damn, New York City was going to be perfect, so many to prey upon, and my job was going to have me do so much more traveling than before. Oh, well, I'm all about the thrill, all about walking the edge between life and death, I'll move on and find a new place."

"The thrill? This is all about the thrill? " Martin was disgusted and tried to raise himself. Once again this movement was too much, not only had his head been injured by the blow from the branch and the fall down the rocky slope but the lack of any medical treatment much less water left Martin extremely vulnerable and he felt his grip on consciousness slip again.

As his grip on awareness started to slip away again he heard the chuckling from across the room and as he succumbed his brain finally put all the pieces together that he had been trying so hard not to and the horror of who and what had committed these crimes made him thankful for the beckoning darkness.

As the killer watched Martin's eyes roll back and his features relax in false peace he grinned and spoke again. "It's all about the thrill, Martin. But I changed because of you; I made it so they could be found faster to be returned to their loved ones for closure. You see, I listened to you."

**Monday, May 20****th**

**Coffee Area: MPU: 5:55 p.m.**

Sam was pouring herself a cup of coffee, her hand shaking ever so slightly, as Vivian approached with a folder in hand.

"Hey, Sam, where are the others?"

"Danny and Elena are already in the conference room. Jack said in about five minutes Mitchell and Clark will join us and we'll have an update on what we've gathered so far, for what it's worth."

Vivian noted the slight bitter tone in Sam's voice.

"Hey, we've got a lot. We've narrowed down the possibilities to two suspects thanks to Martin's research, and we're going to have a fix on both of those two very shortly."

"I know. What's in the folder?" Sam, in customary fashion changed the subject from her own concerns and back to work.

"Lab results. First of all there wasn't any semen in the rape kit but there was evidence of a spermicidal agent, so the rapist used a condom; second…"Vivian took a breath and paused for a moment before continuing, "the blood on the branch was definitely Martin's."

"Great, so Mitchell and Clark can just argue that Rachel Sanders hit him with the branch causing him to fall down that hill and that's why she was able to escape." This time there wasn't just a trace of bitterness; her words were dripping with bitterness and anger.

"Yeah, well that still doesn't explain how Martin escaped and we spent the afternoon tracing those leads also which we get to show them in a couple of minutes."

"You know, Viv, I think I understand why Martin didn't write down the name." Sam looked Vivian straight in the eye as she picked her words carefully, "I think he knew which it was, Cameron or Daniel, I think that's why he couldn't write the name down."

Vivian gave her a slightly confused look so Sam paused a moment and then continued.

"I never told him this but…when he was shot…those first hours we were so busy working the case and there wasn't much time, I mean, everything was moving so fast and it was just Jack and Danny and I and…well I called the hospital every time I had a free moment but…even when the case was over I didn't rush right there…not until almost the next day…actually it was the next day."

Sam gave a small chuckle under her breath, "I hadn't been home in over two and a half days before I finally went to the hospital. I was still wearing the same clothes. I'm sure I smelled, I know I looked awful but I…I couldn't go sooner. Jack and Danny had gone and seen him, Director Fitzgerald was there and said he was a little better but still I couldn't go until…until I called and they said they'd upgraded his condition from grave to critical but stable and they said that, barring any set backs, he had a really good chance of living.

Vivian stood quietly, sensing Sam wasn't finished yet.

"You see, if I had gone while it was still likely he would die… he would die, and I had seen him with all those machines and the ventilator, then it would be real, I mean, really real and that he could be gone and that I wouldn't – " Sam paused to collect herself. Vivian nodded encouragingly and Sam took a breath and continued..

"I think that's why Martin didn't write the name, he couldn't, it would be real then, and even though he knew who the killer was, he couldn't bring himself to face it, not just yet."

Vivian gave her a sad smile which was returned in kind and then both agents turned as the sound of footsteps coming down the hall reached their ears. Jack and Agents Mitchell and Clark were headed their way. It was time for the briefing.

**Conference Room: MPU**

The seven agents gathered in the conference room to share the efforts of their investigation. The tension in the room was palpable and to further define the divisiveness of the group, Agents Mitchell and Clark sat on one side of the table while Vivian, Danny, Sam and Elena lined up on the other side. Jack, in order to maintain the aura of top dog of this pack, sat at the head of the table.

Jack decided to open up the meeting to set the tone that he was still in charge. "All right. So we've all seen the notes Martin was making by hand, the newspaper print outs he downloaded and the special file he created listing the possible suspects, now –"

"Or fall guys." Mitchell uttered under his breath.

"Excuse me." Sam challenged glaring across the table.

Great, Jack thought, this is going well.

"I said or the fall guys." Mitchell challenged. "Look, we know you want to believe that Agent Fitzgerald is a good guy, but you have to admit the evidence keeps piling up to say different."

"Now hold on a minute," Danny chimed in, his quick temper and his loyalty to Martin causing him to ignore Vivian's hand softly settling on his arm and Jack's glare from the head of the table. "We've got a list of names of people that were with Martin for just about all of those dates and at least three of those names were at most if not all of those places during those times."

Elena picked up the thread in order to give Danny a moment to collect himself. "Martin's list included a Steven, Daniel and Cameron at at least four of those events, while a Tyler was at at least three of them. He wrote down his Aunt Bonnie's funeral but didn't mention who, if any, of the men were there, but it's a logical conclusion that at least one of them was and I'm betting that's the one he's focused on."

"It's also an easy conclusion to say that Agent Fitzgerald conveniently left that list for you to find with names attached to the dates and places that correspond to the disappearances as a way of leading us down a false trail."

Sam didn't look at Danny as Mitchell unknowingly echoed his exact words earlier. She knew that the information they found was far from convincing Mitchell and Clark of Martin's innocence but was, in fact, building the case for them.

"Well, speaking of that supposed false trail, why don't we look at a few other angles that have been checked into." Vivian's soft but authoritative voice sounded. Jack smirked as he realized that he could take a short break from trying to be ringleader in this circus and be a spectator. His team was loyal and good at their work and while the situation was grim with one of their own in danger, he knew that gleam in Vivian's eye and knew that she was about to give Mitchell and Clark something to chew on.

"The lab confirmed that it was Martin's blood on the tree branch, so it's not that large of a leap to assume it's also his blood at the bottom of the hill where his cell phone was found, especially since Ms. Sander's doctor's exam doesn't indicate a fall of that type, beating yes, fall down a rocky slope, no. And," Jack hid the smirk behind his hand as he watched Vivian raise her hand as if warning an impatient teenager to sit back down while never once glancing up from the file in front of her, effectively shutting down Mitchell's next verbal gaffe, "And, if Martin was knocked down that hill by Rachel Sanders, where is he?"

Now Vivian looked up and stared straight at Agent Mitchell. "I mean, the park was in all likelihood empty, no witnesses have come forward to indicate they saw or heard anything happening in that area last night. We pulled all the police files and ran through all the crime reports for the surrounding ten mile radius, which is a pretty extreme radius for someone to walk to with the type of injuries Martin is likely to have suffered from the blow and the fall. No reports of carjacking, no missing people who were last known to have driven that area, no stolen cars, no unusual sighting of anyone staggering around injured; we also checked clinics, hospitals, shelters nobody has reported anyone matching Martin's description or his probable injuries being picked up or seeking treatment.

When Vivian finished her update the room was quiet for a moment until Jack cleared his throat and indicated that the briefing should continue and Sam complied.

"So, we tracked down the men that Martin had listed. We found two Stevens and two Tylers in his address book so it took a little time to sort out who was who and as it turns out one of the Stevens was on the golf trip but not the climbing in Seattle and only one of the Tylers was on all the trips but he hadn't been here for Bonnie's funeral nor has he been in the NYC area for the past six months. However, he does live in Philadelphia and there are plenty of quick transport means to get from here to there so we're pulling his records and we have Lucy searching all the airline, bus, train and rental car agencies looking to see if he left any trace of coming here via those means."

Sam lifted her head from the file that she had been referring to as Jack chimed in with an observation. "That doesn't rule out cash purchases or purchases under an alias," Jack pointed out.

"Which is why," Sam gave him a sharp look, "The Philadelphia field office has sent agents to question Tyler Jenkins from Philadelphia as well as his employer and his family to confirm his presence anywhere other than in NYC during these last three occurrences here as well as during Bonnie's funeral. However, since Mr. Jenkins is cooperating fully and according to the field agents who questioned him face to face, appears genuinely concerned for Martin's safety, I would say he's not our suspect and we're likely to erase him from our list by tomorrow at the latest."

"Which still leaves Agent Fitzgerald as a suspect." Agent Clark reminded the group.

"As well as Cameron who is Cameron Reed, and Daniel, who is Daniel Wakefield." Danny pointed out. "Now, here's where it really gets interesting: it seems that Cameron Reed moved to our fair city about a month ago. We've got calls to his work, his home and his cell and left messages everywhere.

At the same time, Daniel Wakefield has been on assignment for a computer software company setting up a new network for a firm in New Jersey. The firm in question has offices not only in Newark, NJ, but also right here in Manhattan. Seems our Mr. Wakefield has been busily shuttling back and forth for the last four weeks. He was traveling between the two offices when we tried to track him down and it seems his cell phone was stolen a couple of days ago so we've left messages everywhere he is likely to turn up to call us and help us locate Martin."

"So we've got a list of names whittled down to two possibilities," Jack started only to be cut off by Mitchell who didn't like having to share the hunt in these cases that were very personal to him.

"The list still contains three potentials as far as I'm concerned and as the lead investigator on these cases, it stands at three potentials and my number one suspect remains Agent Fitzgerald. Agent Clark and I spent this past weekend doing a little research of our own as we started seeing a pattern develop and that's why our questions were so specific to each to you. You Agent Johnson," Mitchell actually pointed at Vivian across the table a move that caused her to stare coldly at him but unflinchingly.

"You, Agent Johnson, indicated that he gets angry, something that was readily evident in his file even though the action was cleared by OPR. You, Agent Taylor," Mitchell allowed a significant amount of disdain to drip from his tone as he said the name 'Taylor' an action that had Jack wishing he could rip the man's heart out if he thought he had one.

"You, Agent Taylor, typically play the tough cop to Agent Fitzgerald's good cop or choir boy persona. I'm sure that rankles him to no end, and with the temper we already know exists, well, every volcano needs an outlet. Agent Spade, he was probably a bit intimidated by you which is why he never tried anything kinky in bed."

Sam's eyes flashed in anger at the nerve of Mitchell to even insinuate Martin was aberrant in his behavior. "I'm guessing that's why all the women he does rape and murder are brunettes. He doesn't like blondes that much."

"And Agent Delgado, I think you're just overwrought with your daughter's recent kidnapping and it has clouded your judgment. Agent Fitzgerald was instrumental in returning your daughter safely to you so in your naïve thinking that makes him a good guy."

Elena wanted to leap across the table and slap Mitchell for his comments both his degradation of her abilities but his continued insistence that Martin was evil. He didn't know this man, she and her team did.

Jack stood up knowing already that he had lost control of this meeting and realizing that he never had control of it. Only his own professionalism as well as that of his team kept this from blowing completely out of control and turning into a free for all. He never thought that he could be more grateful for his phone to begin ringing than he was at that moment as he heard its somewhat muted ring in his jacket pocket.

Pulling the phone out he silenced the group with a sharp gesture of his free hand and was slightly amused to find that at least all six of the agents respected the phone, if not him.

"Malone."

The other agents watched as Jack's expression became very alert and his gaze flicked quickly to Vivian and then to Mitchell and Clark.

"Right, thank you. We're on our way." Disconnecting he slipped his phone back inside his pocket.

"That was the hospital. Rachel Sanders is awake."

Without a work Agents Mitchell and Clark followed Vivian and Jack out of the office.

In their wake Sam, Danny and Elena stood still, the moment they had hoped for was here, they would get the proof they needed that Martin was innocent. Not one of them believed any differently in their hearts and their minds.

Martin drifted in and out of consciousness and his brain continued to process the words that his friend had said to him. As he slipped in and out of the realm of consciousness his mind latched on to a memory, a memory that was only a few weeks old and that contained images and sounds of a time when he and his now tormenter were friends and not the mortal enemies they now had become...

"_I can't believe you've kept doing the Missing Person's assignment for what is it, five years now?"_

_"Yep, five and counting." Martin replied._

_"Doesn't it ever get to you, the sadness, all that sorting through the details of other people's lives and telling people that what they thought they knew wasn't real at all that the person they thought they trusted was really a cheat and a liar?"_

_Martin looked at Cameron Reed, one of his college buddies and someone he made a point of keeping in contact with along with about two or three other friends from school. "Hey, not everyone is a cheat and a liar. Some people are scared and they run leaving behind people who care and who would help them out of their trouble if only they knew what it was. Yeah, some of the people run because they've got something to hide but most of the time someone is missing because they're hurt or someone hurt them."_

_"But when you find them so often they're dead. Don't you ever get tired of looking at dead bodies and dealing with the grief stricken families? And what about the ones that you don't find? What about them?"_

_Martin sighed and wondered where the afternoon peace of a run in the park with a good friend had disappeared to. "Yeah, finding them dead is awful. There's no feeling as good as reuniting a once lost person with those who love them. Most of the time when that happens we just stand back and watch and then leave. It's an amazing feeling. The next best feeling – and there's a huge gap between the two – is the feeling when we bring closure to those left behind. It's better than not bringing closure."_

_Cameron looked at his old college roommate curiously. "What do you mean?"_

_"Last week Danny, my partner, and I were able to tell a father that we had found his daughter. She had been missing for over three years. I can't imagine what that father has been going through every second for the past three years wondering, hoping and waiting. I would have loved to go there and tell him, "Hey, we found your daughter and we're going to take you to her." But that's not how this one ended._

_It's a terrible thing to take away that hope that people cling to that their loved one might somehow still be alive and just unable to contact them for whatever reason. But there is some relief, some tiny bit of peace that we can give to a father or mother, or sister, or husband when we can say, "Hey, we found them. You can finally lay them to rest in peace." The grieving process can finally begin for that person and the torture of not knowing of hoping and praying and wondering if their daughter or wife or son or brother is all right, are they being tortured, are they cold or scared or lonely, are they hurt, finally that ends and the family can at least have the knowledge of where their loved one is._

_The cases that never close, where there is no body, no happy ending, no answers or a gravesite; those are the worst._

_Cameron was silent as he thought on Martin's words. The two men began to jog again the habits of an old and strong friendship negated the need for words in that action. After a minute or two of silent running Martin decided it was time to lighten the mood._

_"So, are you glad you moved to New York?" Martin asked._

_"Yeah, it's a lot different from what I'm used to but I definitely like the rhythm of the city. How about you, ever think of leaving?"_

_"Hey, you just moved here and already you're trying to push me out. Afraid I'm too much competition with the ladies?"_

_"Nah, you're always working. Women like someone like me, someone who's around."_

_"Ahh, I see."_

_"Besides, I like brunettes."_

_"So."_

_"So? Come on, all through college how many brunettes did you ever date?"_

_"All right. All right. You got me, none. So is that the way it's going to be, Cam, you date the brunettes and I get all the rest?"_

_"Maybe. Come on, race you."_

_The two men continued their run through the park each lengthening his stride trying to outrun the other. They ran past slower joggers rounded a corner and started sprinting up a slight rise of the terrain. When they reached the top each man's stride was coming faster and faster as they began sprinting the last bit of the course as if intent to drive the other to exhaustion._

_Finally, their strides evenly matched, they reached the end of the course and slowed their pace and then stopped. Exhausted each man bent over with his hands on his knees and dragged in deep breaths, they stumbled around slightly on rubbery legs before collapsing on the ground._

_"Fitzgerald, you're getting old."_

_"Stuff it, Reed."_

The memory faded from Martin's mind as he struggled to consciousness. He moved his aching body and the sharp pain that flashed equally through his head and shoulder wiped all traces of the peaceful memory of running in the park with his friend. Disappearing along with the peace of that memory was also the sense that he understood people and had the ability to judge evil from good. Consciousness not only brought an awareness of pain it also shook him to his core as he realized that where he thought he was a good agent, able to discern evil when faced with it, he really was ignorant.

He had called Cameron Reed his friend, cheered him on when he was going for his Master's degree, consoled him at his mother's funeral, laughed and joked with him when golfing or running, put his own life in Cameron's capable hands when they went rock climbing together and in turn had kept Cameron's life safe on those same climbs; all the while he never knew who Cameron Reed really was.

Martin had thought of him as an athlete, a savvy investment broker who more than once he'd turned to for some financial advice; he was someone who had stood by Martin as he had struggled against his father's controlling tendencies and had supported him and sometimes kicked him in the butt through the emotional rollercoaster after being shot had left him unable to run or climb or play golf or any of those other activities that he took such joy from until finally the day had arrived when Martin felt really and truly well again. It was Cam who had come and stood by Martin's side at his Aunt Bonnie's funeral.

Martin felt the ache in his head flare to a throbbing pain that barely competed with the incomprehensible pain he felt emotionally to realize that he never knew Cameron Reed at all and, in fact, all this time he had been calling a murderer, a brutal defiler of women and a despicable 'man' Martin started to choke and gag at the thought, a friend. As the true enormity of the situation took hold in Martin's mind he began to gag as the bile rose in his throat and then he vomited. He heaved and retched and gasped as the bile left his body and he knew the real reason was the disgust at who or perhaps what Cameron Reed was.

Finally with the gorge out of his system he shifted away from the puddle and tried to curl into a more comfortable position which was impossible to find with his bruised and battered body lying on the hard floor his hands cuffed behind him. Unable to find any relief for the pain in his body or the pain in his heart Martin closed his eyes and longed for the relief of unconsciousness but this time he was betrayed by his mind in a different way, this time he lay unable to drift, he was left only to suffer.

TBC…


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimers are in Chapter 1

Please accept my apologies on a gaffe I only just noticed. Chapter 3 should have started on Monday May 21, 2007. You will notice later in this Chapter that it is now Tuesday May 22, 2007; we're finally on track.

Thank you

**Chapter 7**:

"She's still very groggy. I'll only allow you a couple of minutes." The doctor stepped aside and allowed the four agents to enter the room.

Agents Mitchell and Clark went right up to the pale woman lying in the bed. Jack and Vivian stood back, they were here as a courtesy and were not going to press their luck.

"Ms. Sanders, we're Agents Mitchell and Clark from the FBI."

The woman opened her eyes and listlessly acknowledged the two men standing beside her bed. She couldn't see Jack and Vivian who were standing by the door because Mitchell and Clark blocked her view.

"We just want to ask you some questions about the man who did this to you." 

She nodded slowly. Her throat hurt, her head hurt, she was tired everywhere and she was scared. The doctor told her that her sister was on her way from Arizona, and she couldn't wait for Lynn to get there and stay with her.

"We're going to show you some photos, and we need you to tell us if you recognize any of the men. Okay?"

She nodded. Speaking hurt and she remembered the doctor telling her to only talk if she absolutely had to.

"Okay. Here we go."

Mitchell held up the first photo for Rachel Sanders to look at. She stared at it closely and then shook her head, no. Mitchell held up the second photo, Rachel stared again and again shook her head, no. Two more photos followed in a similar fashion. As Mitchell held up the fifth photo Rachel's eyes widened and she reached for the picture. Mitchell let her take it from him. He watched as she peered closely at the man's features as if memorizing every detail. Finally she looked up from the photo and nodded her head, yes.

Mitchell and Clark exchanged triumphant smiles and Clark turned to give Jack and Vivian a knowing look and showed them the picture that Rachel had recognized. Both Jack and Vivian shook their heads in disbelief. It wasn't possible, they knew Martin could never do this.

The room was silent as each pair of agents was enveloped in their emotions; two were enveloped in triumph while two were surrounded in despair until the silence was broken by the painfully whispered words of the woman lying in the bed.

"That's the man…saved me." Rachel Sanders was pointing to the picture that Clark was holding.

In an instant the emotions in the room shifted. Jack and Vivian no longer felt compelled to stand by the door. They stepped forward and made their presence known to Rachel.

"Ms. Sanders, my name is Vivian Johnson and this is Jack Malone. We're also from the FBI. I know it hurts to talk but are you sure that this man tried to help you?"

"Yes. I was being choked…couldn't breathe…then this man" Rachel pointed at the picture of Martin. "Yelled at me to get into his car and lock the doors. I – I ran. I did it." She was shaking now and Vivian gently put her hand on top of Rachel's and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"I don't remember much else, I guess I drove away…I'm sorry…I don't remember."

Rachel's eyes slid closed as she slipped back asleep. The doctor had warned them they wouldn't have a lot of time.

The four agents left Rachel Sanders room after the doctor returned and ordered them out. Outside the room Jack fixed both Mitchell and Clark with a stare, "That's it, this dog and pony show you've been conducting is over. We've got a federal agent missing that makes it my jurisdiction."

Turning his back on them as Mitchell opened his mouth to protest he looked at Vivian.

"We've narrowed the list to two suspects. I want you to call Sam, have her meet you back here with pictures of this Daniel guy and Cameron guy. The next time Ms. Sanders wakes up I want you to ask her if she recognizes either of those guys. I'm heading back to the office with Larry and Mo here." Jack indicated toward Mitchell and Clark, "I'll get warrants and APBs and whatever else I need to and turn this city on its ear to find both those guys. We'll either clear one of them or indict them both, I don't care, but one of them has Martin and I want them found." Vivian nodded and headed to the exit to call Sam and have her bring the pictures to the hospital.

Jack glared once more at Mitchell and Clark and then stalked down the corridor, "If either of you are coming, you'd better get moving, I'm not waiting." He threw over his shoulder as he hit the door leading to the stairwell.

Mitchell nodded once to Clark and then hurried after Jack. Clark, without much else to do at that moment decided to stand guard outside Ms. Sanders room. Regardless of their misperceptions towards Agent Fitzgerald, the woman inside that room he now guarded was their only living link to the killer they had been tracking for years – he closed his eyes for a moment and then amended his thoughts, correction, their only living link within their protection at that moment. He was willing to admit he'd suspected Agent Fitzgerald and was willing to defend his reasons for those suspicions, however, now that he knew he was innocent he didn't wish the man dead, especially since he had apparently solved the identity of the killer as well as rescued the latest victim.

Jack had the lights flashing on his bureau car as he dodged the city traffic on his way back to the office. He had his hands free ear piece attached at his right ear in essence making certain he didn't have to hear a peep from Agent Mitchell who sat straight and stared ahead in the passenger seat. Jack hit the speed dial and in a moment he was connected to Danny.

"Malone here. Listen…yes, all right…Sam's already out the door…yeah, never doubted, about time we get going. Listen, I need you and Elena to get with Van Doren and get APBs issued on our two suspects and also I want warrants to search…what? Okay. Good job…when…that's great…okay…yeah, we'll be there as fast as possible."

Jack hung up and drove a block or two in silence. Mitchell turned and looked at the lined face of the agent next to him. Malone was a hunter like himself, he realized. What set them apart was that Malone was still able to hang on to some shred of hope in the human race, something that Mitchell had long since given up since he'd been immersed in some of the worst of human actions.

For a moment, he wished he could have that unshakeable faith that he knew Malone had not only in his Agent Fitzgerald, but in all of his team.

"I won't apologize for my actions." Mitchell decided it was time to open the lines of communication, and he was never one to shrink back from telling it bluntly.

"I didn't ask you to." Malone grunted.

"No, you didn't. I will tell you this, though, I'm glad it isn't your agent. The only one in this whole vicious game of hunter and hunted that I have anything against is the killer. If it had been your agent, I would have taken him down as the animal he was, since he isn't the killer, I hope he's all right and you get to him quickly, as for me, I'm staying in the hunt because, if the killer does have your agent, then finding your agent means finding the killer."

"You keep calling him "your agent" or "my agent" Look call him Martin or call him Fitzgerald or call him Agent Fitzgerald, anything but yours or mine or…whatever. Right now our best course of action is to track down the movements of these two guys that we've narrowed the list down to. Danny and Elena and Sam were hard at work doing that while we were at the hospital.

Mitchell turned and watched Jack and listened intently. "They got warrants issued to search the apartments and offices of both men, their bank records, ATM cards, credit cards, cell phone everything are already being accessed and as soon as Ms. Sanders identifies one or the other that will be enough probable cause to issue a warrant and broadcast an APB as wanted for kidnapping a federal agent.

Mitchell grinned and gave him a sideways glance raising an eyebrow at the same time. "Since we don't have probable cause as of yet, with no identification by the witness and only speculation at best, how did your team manage to get access to search warrants and phone and financial records?"

Jack just gave a small grin and said, "Do you really want to know or do you want to have plausible deniability?"

Mitchell chuckled, "You're right, it's better that I don't know. You and your team do know how to get the job done."

"At this point I'm not interested in the finer points of the law. I've got an agent missing and I want him found, alive."

The two men settled in to a slightly more comfortable silence for the rest of the drive back to the office.

The tap on his cheek barely caused him to stir. It was repeated, a little sharper this time and a light was shone into his eyes that fingers peeled back. With a jolt that immediately set the jackhammer in his head to work, Martin awoke and pulled back from the light that was assaulting his eyes. His vision was blurred and he blinked several times in an effort to bring the figure in front of him into focus.

Cameron sat back on his heels and watched Martin try to focus his vision. The lack of recognition in his eyes and the confused expression told him Martin was not truly aware of where he was or what was happening, a fact that was confirmed again as Martin moved a bit on the hard floor only to wince in pain as his handcuffed arms complained.

"What…where am I?"

"Not remembering a whole lot are you, pal?" Cameron gripped both sides of Martin's shirt and lifted until Martin was upright, then he leaned him back against the wall.

Martin's head spun with the sudden movement and his vision grayed a bit as he struggled against the piercing pain in his skull and this new upright position that left him more lightheaded than previous.

"Help…me." Martin weakly whispered. His head was throbbing with each beat of his heart and the accompanying nausea and dizziness left him listless. He was cold, shaking, he could feel his heart racing and he was so desperately thirsty.

"You don't look so good, Martin. You really look bad. Got some good news for you though, pal, your friends are looking for you."

Martin's head rolled to the side as he struggled to focus on the words. He squinted again and was able to focus on the face in front of him, Cam, Cam was here…where was here again? Then it clicked inside his head, Cam was here, Cam was the killer.

"Cam?"

"That's right, pal. Good ole' Cam. Glad to see you remembered. Now, like I said, your team is looking for you. While you were laying there getting some rest I was busy and one of the things I did was check my cell phone messages. Wouldn't you know but there was a message from an Elena Delgado asking me to call. She said she works with you and that they're looking for you and want to know if I would call in and let them ask me some questions about when I last saw you or if we were together. Sounds fairly innocent but you and I know better. They know and they're looking. Don't worry, Martin, before long they'll find the little markers I left for them to find you."

Martin was confused, what was Cam talking about. "What markers?"

"Not for you to worry about but, if they're as good as you're always saying they are, they'll find them and when they do, they'll find you, it's just a matter of time. Of course, I won't be here."

"Cam, let me help you."

"Help me? I don't want any help. I'm doing just fine."

"You – you killed those women."

"So that's what you're worried about. You have no idea, Martin, no idea at all. It's all about the thrill, being just on the edge, the rush of adrenaline when it's all on the line.

Don't look at me like that, you know what I'm talking about, don't try and tell me your heart doesn't beat a little faster when you're on a stakeout and you see your guy coming and you get ready for the takedown. Don't tell me that when you pull your gun, kick in a door, chase some bad guy that you don't feel just a little bit extra."

Martin stared unable to process Cameron's logic or lack thereof. "I'm doing my job."

He looked in disgust at Cameron, did he think that when he did those things he was doing it for the thrill that was his job, it was real and it was dangerous.

"Don't get sanctimonious with me, Martin. I know you. I've seen you right before you take that last step off a cliff when we're rappelling and all there is at that moment is you, the rope, the rock and gravity. I've seen that rush fill your eyes, hell, I've experienced it just by watching you. This, this is so much more than that. This moment of intense feeling I never get to experience in my job. Investment banking, what's the thrill there?"

"Thrill? You raped and murdered those women – " Martin gasped again at the effort speaking cost him. He felt the floor seeming to roll beneath him and the effort of speaking left him nauseas and his vision blurring.

"They were feeling that intensity of being on the edge, and, man, were they feeling it when I took their lives. A couple of them I didn't finish right away, I took them right to the edge before bringing them back, one, she was a fighter, took almost ten minutes; she just kept coming back from the edge again and again before the ligature finally finished her off, all the time I'm on top of them, their arms under my knees, I'm holding their bodies down with mine and all the while I'm twisting –"

Martin turned his head away and squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the sounds and the images Cameron's words were evoking. The movement cost him dearly as he felt his insides revolt and he gagged on the bile that rose in his throat and the motion of gagging nearly split his skull apart. He heard Cam speaking and although he hated the words he latched on to them in an effort to pull himself back from the pain and the nausea.

"See, Martin, we're not so different, we each gotta have the thrill."

"We're very different, Cam" Martin spit back even though the effort left him gasping for breath and he could see the darkness encroaching on his vision. "We're very different. How do you think this is going to end?"

"It's already ended for us, Martin. This is where we part ways. Like I said, your team is looking for you, and I've left a little trail of breadcrumbs that will have them find this place. They should find you in time to get you before it's too late. But therein lays the thrill for you and for me. See, I win either way, if you live, we'll tangle another day and I'll get to know that I was clever enough to lay the trail for them to get to you in time. If they don't and you don't make it, well then it just proves that I was too clever for you all. But you can't tell me that your heart won't be beating just a little bit faster as you wait here for them to find you, and when they come through that door, if you're still alive, you'll feel a rush like you've never felt and you'll be thanking me for that experience and that, my friend, is what I feel each and every time."

With that Cameron took the light and left the little cabin leaving Martin in the cold, damp dark cabin. Martin's strength was fading quickly and it wasn't long before he slid down on his side and landed hard on the floor, the motion and the landing sending shooting pain through his whole body while his mind processed Cameron's words and he realized that this man, this friend that he'd shared so much with through college and all the years as they had started out in their careers and moved and changed directions and rejoiced in each others advancements and commiserated in each others disappointments was someone that he never really knew at all. That thought was what continued to tumble around inside Martin's battered skull as he lay on the cold, hard floor in the damp, dark cabin…"I never knew him."

**1:00 a.m. Tuesday May 22nd, 2007, MPU Office**

Despite the fact that team had been working since before 6:00 a.m. on Monday, yesterday, they showed no signs of slowing down. Everyone knew the clock was ticking and the fact that all evidence pointed to signs that Martin had injuries, likely serious injuries, every second counted.

Vivian and Sam had returned from the hospital a couple of hours earlier. Rachel Sanders awoke a second time and was able to positively identify Cameron Reed as her attacker. This enabled the team to fully concentrate their search on Reed and they set aside their inquiries into Daniel Wakefield.

As if to further solidify their focus on Reed Daniel Wakefield had actually appeared at their office after receiving their messages and readily gave his whereabouts over the last month by showing them his day planner and allowing Lucy to quickly scan through his Blackberry to confirm some appointments, he also expressed that he had been out of the country during Bonnie's funeral and hadn't been able to come even though he knew the loss had been staggering for Martin.

With all trails now leading conclusively to Cameron Reed as the murderer the team was completely focused and information was rapidly being compiled.

"Jack, you need to come see this." Jack looked up as Vivian poked her head in his office. Wordlessly he got up and followed her to the bullpen. He stopped at the table that was covered with a large map of Pennsylvania. The others gathered around.

"I think we've got a lead on where Cameron has gone and hopefully where he's taken Martin."

Sam spoke up, "We've been looking through all his information, credit cards, phone records, ATM everything and we just got this report from his E-Z Pass card. It shows his vehicle entering Pennsylvania Route 476 at about 10:00 p.m. that's 10:00 p.m. as in three hours ago. He got on at Exit 36 and got off again at the next exit by Route 80."

"All right. So let's back up a moment. At 4:30 the troopers say they found Martin's car with Rachel Sanders unconscious at the wheel; they notify me at 5:45 a.m." Jack moved to the white board that held Martin's personnel photo. "Then we hear nothing, nothing on this Reed guy until 10:00 p.m. which is approximately 17 and a half hours after Martin's car was found. when we get an E-Z Pass record of Reed being in Pennsylvania and we think he's got Martin with him." Jack wrote above the line, 'Martin in PA?'

"Looking at the location where he got off 476 he could have picked up 81 north and gone to New York State, south through Pennsylvania and be in Maryland by now or even picked up Route 80 again and be in Ohio that's a lot of territory to cover. What's at Exit 36, you said he got on there and then off again at the exit near 80?"

"That's what's really strange. Exit 36 is off the main highway routes. The only thing around it is a small little lake and town." Sam pointed to a small lake town on the map. "It's called Crystal Lake."

Both Mitchell and Clark stiffened instantly and took simultaneous deep breaths.

"I'll be damned," Mitchell breathed quietly. "There was a murdered young woman there about five years ago. They found her body almost a year later. She disappeared one day and then her bones turned up, broken neck, C3 and C4, duck pond, everything."

Vivian spoke up. "I remember reading that file. It's possible he's gone there purposefully."

"All right, but why has he gone there and how do we even know that Martin is with him?" Clark asked.

"My guess is that if he was going to kill Martin, he would have done it back at the crime scene." Danny answered. "Elena and I checked that scene thoroughly," Mitchell and Clark both looked away as Danny fixed them with an accusing look and stopped pointedly. When Jack cleared his throat indicating he should go on he looked away and continued.

"The hill wasn't very steep but it was rocky and would have been difficult to carry an unconscious adult male back up. We're guessing Martin was unconscious from two indications, first the amount of blood and the indications that he was hit not only at the top of the hill with the branch that matched back to his blood but also from the blood at the bottom of the hill near his cell phone.

When Elena and I checked further we found an access road. Reed could easily have driven his car from the parking lot up top down to the access road and then it's just a matter of carrying Martin about 100 yards on relatively flat ground, very doable even in the dark."

"It makes sense," Mitchell agreed. "I've been on this guy's trail for six years and not once has he left any evidence, any trace of himself at any scene. He's been a ghost, women disappear, no one sees or hears anything time passes and bones turn up but no fingerprints, no hair samples, tire tracks and now, all of a sudden when he knows at the very least Martin is on to him he uses his E-Z Pass?"

"He's got to know we're looking for him. We've left messages everywhere for him to contact us." Elena reminded them.

"He's taunting us." Sam agreed. "He drove all these routes to get there and stayed off our radar until Crystal Lake and then he surfaces just long enough to be spotted and disappears again."

"All right." Jack said, "Going along with your theory that he did this on purpose and the fact that a similar murder happened there a few years ago, where in the Crystal Lake area is he?"

"That's where we are stumped. We've checked every database for that area and come up with nothing. He doesn't own any property, has no bank account, no phone records, nothing to tie him to that area. Maybe he just is planning to leave Martin there and disappear." Elena answered.

"Maybe, but I agree with Agent Taylor," Clark spoke up again. "If his plan was just to kill Agent – Martin, then he would have already done so not create this elaborate plan to take us on his trail to Crystal Lake, there's something there for him."

"You said there was a case there similar to these other murders." Jack turned to Mitchell who nodded. "What's Crystal Lake like, from the map it looks small, is it just a little resort area?"

"Basically it's for people that fish or hunt or hike. It's close enough to the major routes that Philadelphia is only a few of hours away and it's got golf courses and –"

"That could be it," Vivian snapped her fingers and went to her desk, rifled through a couple of folders until she located the one she wanted. Nodding her head at what she read she returned to the group. "Martin had a trip that was a golf trip with 'the guys' and they usually get together for outdoor type activities, climbing etc. What if one of the others that their friends with has property there?"

"Except none of their names showed up when we checked for Reed." Elena reminded her.

"Okay, but we know he used his E-Z Pass there after all this time of staying below radar, there has to be something, and we know he committed a murder there, wait, did you say it was only a few hours from Philadelphia?" Jack asked Mitchell.

"That's right and…isn't this guy from Philadelphia originally?"

"Yes, yes, that's right. This could be a summer place for him and his family, wait a minute." Viv pulled out another folder and opened it up. "Here we go, his parents died, his mother from cancer and his father about a year later. Sam, try this, Charlotte Behrens, that's his mother's maiden name, see if there are any real estate listings in his name."

Sam brought up the data base and keyed in the name, after a few moments the screen flashed. "Here it is, 323, Lakeview Road, it's a hunting and fishing cabin that he built on the property about 25 years ago. It shows the taxes are paid in full each year in the name of Charlotte Behrens."

"I'm betting when his parents died he was left the property and Cameron never changed any information on the deed, he just pays the taxes on time each year which is why it's not in his name." 

"That would work since the mortgage is totally paid off all he owes are yearly taxes." Sam confirmed.

"Sam, what's the closest airport?" Jack asked. Sam turned back to her computer and pulled up another screen.

"Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport."

"Grab your gear everyone, I'm calling Van Doren to update her and have her arrange air transport. This guy wants to leave us an invitation to find him, we're not going to disappoint."

In less than 15 minutes the agents were speeding out of the parking garage of the FBI building with lights flashing racing to the airport for the quick trip to Wilkes-Barre. The MPU team's thoughts were focused on their missing teammate, would they be in time? Was he still alive?

TBC…


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimers are in chapter 1

**Chapter 8**

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

Leaving Mitchell and Clark outside to check the perimeter and the shed that doubled as a garage Jack and the rest of the team took in the small space inside the hunting/fishing cabin. It was a relatively small structure with a full working kitchen, bathroom, bedroom off the back and an alcove where another sleeping area was arranged. The area of interest to the team was the main room that was approximately 15 feet by 15 feet square.

In the main room was a couch, a large coffee table made of oak, very sturdy, a couple of straight backed chairs with cushions on them a large stone fireplace and a couple of tables that had lamps on them. One wall was filled with shelve that were jammed full of books and framed pictures. Alone on the counter that separated the kitchen from the main room was Martin's gun complete and spare clip.

On the floor under the large picture window was a stain that looked to all to be dried blood as well as small area of dried vomit. To the right of the picture window that looked over the lake at the back of the cabin was a side table that had been swept clean. The pictures, magazines and lamp that had in all likelihood formerly sat atop that table were strewn across the floor. Danny knelt down as the beam of his flashlight picked up the dark stains that dotted the floor in an erratic pattern.

"Jack, I think there's more blood over here."

Jack shone his beam on the floor and followed the blood drops. "All right. Martin's gun is here he had to have been here at some point. What do we think happened here?"

"Well, there's no sign of Cameron Reed." Clark appeared in the front entrance of the cabin just as Jack voiced his question. "We checked the perimeter, nothing and the shed has recent tire imprints but there's no vehicle in there now."

"I don't think Reed left us that trail to come here if he planned to leave with Martin. I think he was telling us to come here in order to find Martin." Elena spoke up.

"That makes sense since he didn't have to tip us to his location unless he wanted to and if didn't want us here, why leave Martin's gun, let's run with that theory for now. If Reed left Martin here for us to find, where is Martin?" Jack shone his flashlight beam across the interior intersecting occasionally with the beams from Sam and Vivian as they came out from checking in more detail the bathroom, alcove and bedroom.

"If I'm Martin," Danny started, "And I'm lying on this floor here," he pointed to the spot under the window where the dried pool of blood remained, "And I woke up I'd be disoriented and probably can't see anything, especially since it's only just getting to be light and --" Danny paused a moment as Vivian reached out and flicked a light switch next to her on the wall which caused nothing to happen, "—and it appears the electricity is currently not turned on, what do I do?"

Sam crouched down and studied the blood on the floor, the broken lamp and scattered items. "I try to find a light, I try to get help."

"But," Vivian brainstormed, "I'm hurt, I'm alone, I might be tied in some manner so I stumble, break this lamp, obviously from these blood drops I've cut something and I stagger around and –"

"—and out the door of the cabin." Elena finished. "The cabin door was open when we arrived."

The group moved to the front porch and looked around. Unfortunately it had started to rain earlier and the rain had continued to fall heavily so any blood drops or footprints had washed away.

"So he's somewhere out here. Everyone fan out, use the cabin as our center. We'll go seven across, no more than 30 feet between each other and we'll go in one direction first and then another. Viv –"

"Already on it, Jack." Vivian pulled her cell phone out and called the state police for additional back up as well as an ambulance to come to their location.

The team tramped through the woods carefully lifting up low hanging branches and slowly sweeping their flashlight beams side to side overlapping each others' arc. In ten minutes they were already out of direct line of sight from the. The rain continued to fall making the visibility poor although it was already well past dawn.

The agents shivered inside their warm jackets and wondered how Martin was doing. No one knew what he had been wearing when he disappeared but it was unlikely he had on hiking books and a water resistant jacket. They climbed a small rise and started down the other side slowly sweeping their beams back and forth. Jack's cell phone rang and he paused to answer. It was the sheriff indicating some of the back-up units had arrived and were up at the cabin.

Mitchell and Clark volunteered to head back up, explain the situation and lead additional teams in the search. Nodding his appreciation Jack watched them go and then he and his team spread out a bit more to take up the space. They only moved a few more paces when Danny's beam reflected off something at the far edge of his beam.

"I got something over here." Everyone stayed in their spot while Danny, who was on the left edge of the group, ran forward. He tripped right at the end over a tree root that rose slightly out of the ground and almost sprawled face first on the ground. He went down on one knee in the soft wet earth and his right hand reached out to stop his headlong motion and instead of encountering ferns and other undergrowth, his hand encountered cotton that is a cotton jersey that was soaked and covered a soaked, cold and motionless Martin. Danny shone his flashlight full on Martin's form and saw what its beam had reflected off of, handcuffs.

Danny knelt down next to Martin who was lying prone on the ground. He reached forward to his neck and felt the weak and erratic pulse beating there. He let his breath out in relief and simultaneously reached into his pocket for his handcuff key and raised his head to yell for the others. "He's here, I've got him!"

Freeing Martin from the cuffs he angrily tossed them aside and then gently lifted Martin up and over and then settled on the ground holding Martin against him trying to keep him partially off the cold ground, Martin was limp and offered no resistance or any sign that he knew anyone was there. Danny looked up and saw the others running towards him.

"Watch out for the root!" He pointed and stopped Jack from following him to the ground at the last moment. Stepping over the root Jack's eyes widened as he saw Martin's still pale form cradled against Danny. Jack immediately unzipped his jacket and knelt down and placed it over Martin's torso.

"He's alive, barely. I've got a real weak pulse." Danny looked up at the others.

Elena was already pulling out her cell phone to call Mitchell and tell them they found him and to bring the paramedics. She headed back up to help guide the medical help in.

Vivian and Sam knelt on either side of Martin and took in his appearance.

Vivian shone her light on the Martin's head and everyone could see the large area of swelling, the purplish color and the smear of blood that had begun to trickle again probably from the recent movement. The rest of his face bore scratches but as the rain fell on him it started to wash off some of the mud that covered his features.

Sam leaned back and unzipped her jacket. "He's got to be freezing." She laid her jacket over his chest as well knowing it would do little good but it seemed better than watching the rain continue to soak him. She reached her hand out and touched his cheek and that confirmed her thought as she felt his cold skin.

"He's cold." She looked at Danny who easily saw the fear in her eyes. Danny tightened his hold as if trying to impart his own warmth. He could feel the tremors in Martin's body from the cold.

Jack shone his light down Martin's legs but with all the mud it was hard to see if there was any blood. Danny leaned close, "Martin, come on, Martin, can you hear me?"

Vivian and Sam each took one of his hands and held on tightly trying to get any reaction from their injured team member.

Jack didn't like the fact that Martin remained still and cold showing no sign of a reaction to his team members. He put his hand to Martin's neck and felt the weak and unsteady pulse that Danny had reported and he felt the coldness of Martin's skin. He leaned closer and realized that he could hear a wheezing as Martin breathed.

He looked to the side and met Vivian's concerned face and was about to speak when he heard shouts and they all looked up to see Elena jogging through the woods leading the EMTs to their position.

**Wilkes-Barre General Hospital **

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Sam hated that sound and at the same time occasionally found herself waiting for it and fearing it wouldn't come. She sighed and laid Martin's still hand back on the blanket. At least he felt a little warmer now. She stood and stretched her aching back and paced around the room a few times before stopping at the window and peering between the slats of the blinds. It was still raining out.

She turned back and looked at the still form lying beneath the layers of blankets. To her relief as well as everyone else's Martin had not needed to be put on a ventilator but the doctor had ordered an oxygen mask to aid in his breathing.

The ER team had cleaned all the blood and mud, removed his soaked clothes and started an IV solution that was warmed to help restore heat to his body. He had been placed in the Cat Scan machine which showed significant swelling on his brain as well as evidence of prior internal bleeding in the skull that while it had stopped and was not a large area of bleeding did cause swelling and pressure inside his skull.

He didn't have any neck or spinal injuries or any broken bones for that matter although his body was a maze of scrapes and bruises no doubt from his fall back at the park that resulted in his cell phone being at the base of the hill as well as his disoriented stumbling in the cabin and his ultimate fall in the forest.

The diagnosis that was finally given to the team as they waited impatiently in the ER waiting area was severe concussion, stage 2 hypothermia brought on by the blood loss from the head injury which caused shock to settle in as well as spending an unknown period of time in the cool early spring rain. The best estimate by the medical team was that Martin had probably been exposed to the elements for anywhere between two to five hours before he had been found. They were lucky; had this been winter that would have been too long in his condition.

The rest of his injuries were minor in comparison cuts, scrapes, bruises, a few lacerations the most serious of them requiring stitches was to his upper left arm that had likely impacted with the lamp when it broke thus leaving the small blood trail in the cabin.

Dr. Griffin's prognosis was guarded at this time. Martin's head injury and lack of treatment for well over 24 hours was a serious factor. His shallow breathing and slow heart rate were more symptomatic of his hypothermic condition than any respiratory complications but he was concerned that Martin could develop bronchitis or more seriously pneumonia if they weren't careful

Dr. Griffin warned them that it was unlikely Martin would regain consciousness for several hours and more likely not even until Wednesday. Sam and the others realized with some astonishment it was only 11:00 a.m. Tuesday morning when they heard this news. What with having been awakened with the news of Martin's disappearance and the resultant search and ultimate rescue 29 hours later, it felt more like weeks rather than barely a day and a half had passed.

They had to remind themselves it was only Tuesday although all of them felt they had already put in a full week of work. Since Cameron was missing and no one was certain where he was or whether he truly planned to lead them to Martin's rescue and thus was not coming after him Jack had determined that he was to be under guard at all times while in the hospital. The local police readily volunteered to assist as did the Pennsylvania troopers, the brotherhood of the blue didn't care whether state or federal was fallen, Martin was one of them and they were willing to protect and serve.

Sam, Viv and the rest of the team arranged a vigil of their own and quickly grabbed rooms at the nearest hotel and changed into warm clothes from their ready bags and while some of them tried to catch up on their sleep, Sam returned to be with Martin and Jack worked with the local authorities to bring them up to speed on the situation as well as update Van Doren who in turn updated Director Fitzgerald.

Sam returned to Martin's side and picked up his limp hand and held it gently between hers. Unconsciously she rubbed her thumb soothingly over his hand as she watched him sleep sleep she thought, when someone is unconscious, is it really possible to say they're sleeping?

"I know the doctor said you're not supposed to wake up for a while, in fact, not even today. I just wish you'd give some indication that you are trying to wake up…I don't know. I'm just not used to you being so still and it's too much like – like when you were shot. You need to stop making this a habit because I –" Sam sighed and stopped. She was so tired and just didn't know what to say.

"I don't know if you can hear me. I don't know if you know you're safe. I don't know if you know you're warm and getting fluids and lots of oxygen, but I want you to know that none of us, not Jack, Danny, Viv, Elena or me ever doubted you for a moment and even though Mitchell and Clark had their doubts, they don't now. So I don't know if that makes you feel any better, Martin, I don't even know if you ever knew that you were a suspect or – God, Martin, I'm so tired. I don't even know what to say. I hope you can feel me holding your hand and I'm just going to keep holding your hand for awhile."

A couple hours later Vivian found Sam seated beside Martin, his hand held gently between both of hers with her thumb gently rubbing his hand and her eyes fixed upon his face.

"Sam," Vivian softly called as she entered the ICU room and stepped up behind the blonde agent.

"Hey, Viv," Sam tiredly whispered.

"Has there been any change?"

"No, he just lies there, no movement, oxygen flowing through the mask, blankets bundled on top of him that stupid machine beep, beep, beep keeping track of his heart rate and respiration. I swear, Viv, I both love and hate that beep, beep, beep sound."

"I know, honey, I know." Vivian walked to the other side of the bed and sat so that she faced the door and pulled the other chair close to Martin's side. She reached out and laid her hand gently on his face careful not to touch the large injury on his head. He still felt cool to the touch; a quick glance at the monitor told her his temperature was now up to 97 degrees F. that was an improvement over the 95.5 F when he was admitted in Stage 2 hypothermia.

"Looks like the blankets and the warm IV fluids are working." Vivian nodded up at the temperature reading.

"Yeah, so I guess that's been a change. I know the doctor said he doesn't expect Martin to wake up it's just that seeing him so…so still is scary."

"I know. Brings back other memories doesn't it?" Vivian's voice was kind and gentle. She knew that Sam had suffered when Martin had been shot and since she, herself, was in another hospital recovering from heart surgery she hadn't been able or allowed to visit him in the hospital. She was allowed to visit him once at his apartment but by then he was almost ready to come back to work so she had no memories of him still and quiet and hovering between life and death.

"It's time for you to head back to the hotel and get some shut eye. One of the officers is going to drive you back since his shift on guard duty has ended as well. It's already 4:00 p.m. and that means I've got the next four hours. So go, get some rest, have something to eat, fill the rest of the team in. I'll call if there's any change."

Sam nodded and after a moment she gently released Martin's hand, leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead and then slipped out of the room, pausing at the door to look back at both of them. Vivian's attention was focused on Martin as one hand held on to his staying clear of the IV ports and the other hand gently rested on the top of his head.

**7:00 a.m. ICU**

**Wednesday May 23, 2007**

The first thing that registered was the incessant beeping from somewhere in the background, the second thing was the feeling of being cocooned in softness and warmth, the third was that something was pressed over his nose and mouth and the fourth was pain from abused arm and shoulder muscles as he slowly moved an arm and fumbled with the object on his face.

A new sound registered over the beeping sound as his hand pushed weakly at whatever was on his mouth, "Leave it alone, it's helping you."

At the same time as the voice spoke he felt a hand gently take his fumbling hand and push it back down on the bed. He forced his eyes open and watched as a blurry face swam into focus. For a moment he felt panic as he thought it was the face of someone evil who he had trusted and had been plaguing his mind but then in the next moment his vision cleared enough and he took in the rumpled, unshaven, exhausted face of Jack.

"Jack" between the oxygen mask and his weakness it wasn't more than a breathless whisper but Jack could see Martin's mouth open inside the mask.

"Good morning, Sleepyhead." Jack watched Martin's eyes flutter shut and then watched as he forced them back open and tried to focus again on him.

"Don't try so hard I'm not getting any prettier." Jack watched as Martin struggled to focus on the meaning of his words and then apparently give up as the effort was too much.

"You're in a hospital and you're going to be all right. We'll fill you in on the rest later."

Jack figured that was about all he had time to say as Martin was rapidly fading back out. He hoped those words reached his agent's brain enough to give him the rest he desperately needed. In another moment Martin was relaxed back into the mattress and under the blankets, his breathing evened out and Jack knew he was asleep.

He heard a soft clearing of a throat and turned to see Victor Fitzgerald standing at the door to Martin's room. He moved away from the bed and walked to the door. Victor's eyes remained on his son's still form barely visible under the blankets and oxygen mask.

"Victor."

"Jack, you and your team did fantastic work, Paula briefed me pretty thoroughly and Agents Mitchell and Johnson filled me in as well."

"Did they." Jack kept his voice carefully neutral but Victor easily read the slight scowl and the lifted eyebrow for the irritation that was just below the surface.

"Yes, Agent Mitchell filled me in completely on his part in all this and while if I had been here I'm not sure I would have handled it as well as you did – " a remark that had both men exchanging skeptical looks that ended in small snorts with accompany turns of the lip into a grin – "I do understand his single-minded focus. I seem to recall being in a similar position myself when it came to Martin."

Jack gave a small nod and the two men left it at. "Have you spoken to his doctor?" Jack asked, changing the subject.

"Yes. He told me that Martin's vitals have improved steadily throughout the night. His temperature is almost normal and that while his recent lab work does show signs of infection he's confident the course of antibiotics they have him on will deal with that and that his fluid levels and electrolytes and all that will balance out in the next day or so. He's probably going to remove the oxygen mask that Martin found so annoying, so that's a good sign as well.

They've scheduled another Cat Scan for later today to check the swelling in his skull but all his brain functions are showing normal readings and judging from his reactions just now, I'd say we're on the right track."

"That's good news." Jack nodded. He'd known most of that already but it was good to hear it again. "Victor, not all the news is good though regarding this case. I'm sure when Agents Johnson and Mitchell briefed you they also briefed you on the fact that this Cameron Reed got away?"

"Yeah, and actually I just got a piece of news that I'm bringing you in regard to that. Pennsylvania Troopers found his car."

Jack perked up, this was indeed news. "Where?"

In short-term parking at the Wilkes-Barre airport; it was parked so that it was taking up two spots which is why the airport security took note of it. They matched the license number to the APB and called it in. The troopers opened the vehicle and inside was the parking ticket stamped with the time he entered the lot. It was stamped 4:30 a.m. Tuesday morning."

Jack was stunned that bastard was at the airport when they were arriving! Then he shook his head, no in all likelihood he just left the vehicle there and took another one or grabbed a cab.

"I know, Jack, I thought the same thing," Victor had watched the emotions cross Jack's face, watched him come to the same conclusions he had. "The troopers are going through the security tapes and canvassing the ticket counter personnel, however, a quick check of all passenger manifests for flights that departed within the next few hours show that a Cameron Reed bought a one way ticket for a flight that departed at 6:10 a.m. He never boarded it but there are also several purchased around the same timeframe for different airlines by people who paid cash. We're tracking down those ticket agents to see if they remember Reed but for now he seems to have vanished."

Jack nodded in frustration before stifling a yawn. "I'm going to see if I can track down a decent cup of coffee."

"Thanks again, Jack."

The two men shook hands and as Jack headed out of the unit, Victor stepped into his son's room and took up the spot Jack had recently vacated by Martin's side.

The rest of the day passed in brief moments of wakefulness. Martin would open his eyes; recognize his father or a different member of the team by his side. Sometimes a nurse or even the doctor would be there and ask him questions, shine a light in his eyes and then gently tell him he was doing fine. Each time this happened seemed like the first time to Martin as he rarely remembered the time before.

Martin didn't register the passage of time so he had no way of knowing that two days had passed and it was now Friday May 25th. He also didn't know that aside from Danny and his father, the rest of the team had had to return to New York and close up at least his missing person's part of the case. Mitchell and Clark were still in town working with the local police agencies, and tearing apart Cameron's cabin looking for any clues.

This time when Martin peeled his eyes open he was immediately aware that he felt an overall sense of tiredness in his body, his arms and shoulders ached incessantly and that he was extremely grateful the light in the room was dim because the pounding in his head was pretty horrific and having suffered a migraine or two in his day he knew that, if there was bright light, he would suffer more. He turned his head only to regret the movement as soon as he had begun it as the pounding in his head turned to sharp daggers.

He squeezed his eyes shut and his breath came in shallow gasps as he struggled against the pain. Through the haze he heard the sound of movement and felt a hand lightly touch his upper arm and a voice spoke to him.

"Take it easy, pal. Don't move your head, you won't like it."

Danny kept his hand lightly on Martin's arm and watched as his breathing settled after a minute or two as he adjusted to the pain. When his breathing evened out again he watched as Martin opened his eyes part way and stared up at him. He could see enough to note that the pupils were irregular but for once the eyes seemed to focus and he saw recognition and remembrance as well as pain in Martin's eyes and on his face.

"I'd ask how you're feeling but –" Danny stopped and gave a small shrug as if to say 'what's the point?'

Martin's face twitched a little and he breathed out the word 'warm.'

Danny was concerned and checked the monitor to the side that gave a reading of Martin's blood pressure, heart rate, respiration and temperature. His temperature read 99 F.

He reached out and put his hand on Martin's forehead, receiving a scowl for his efforts but didn't feel any heat radiating.

"Don't look at me that way, if you think I'm going to test your temperature with my lips, you got hit harder on the head than any of us thought."

"No fever…not cold." Martin whispered.

"Oh, well…then okay." Danny sat back and watched as Martin slowly and with no small amount of grimaces of discomfort shifted to a slightly more comfortable position in bed.

"What happened?" Martin whispered.

"What do you remember?"

Danny watched as Martin's eyes unfocused a bit as he searched through his foggy brain for a clear memory. He reached out when Martin's hand came off the mattress and reached for his head.

"Don't, just leave it alone."

Martin scowled a bit and then haltingly as if not sure started to speak "We were working cases of …there was a possible connection to other murders. I remember two agents, Mitchell and Clark?" Martin looked to Danny for confirmation and received a small nod so he continued to search his aching brain for answers.

"I remember talking to Jack and thinking that something was there that I recognized and then…Oh, my God, the woman, the park, Danny!" Martin struggled to sit up only to have the pain that had just settle to a tolerable level slice through his brain again leaving him gasping for air and struggling with nausea and gripping the edge of the bed trying not to fall off as it felt like the bed was going to dump him on the floor.

Danny hit the nurse call button this time as any color that had been in Martin's face disappeared in an instant and his heart rate and respiration sped up on the monitor. A nurse appeared quickly and looked from Martin to Danny as she stepped up to his side.

"He tried to sit up and this happened."

She nodded and took a quick look at the read outs and then adjusted the oxygen flow a little higher through the nasal cannula that Martin had graduated to from the prior oxygen mask. Then she patted Danny on the shoulder as she said, "I'll be right back."

Danny watched as Martin slowly relaxed again as the dizzying pain subsided slightly. Martin didn't open his eyes and his hands still held the edge of the bed but his grip had lessened a bit. In a moment the nurse was back with a cold pack wrapped in a washcloth, gently she spoke to Martin as she placed the cold pack on the top of his head. She stayed there gently soothing him for another couple of minutes until Martin's read outs returned to their prior setting as the wave of pain subsided again.

"Okay, Mr. Fitzgerald, that's real good, you're doing fine. Try to remember not to move your head quickly or you'll have another of these moments and I can tell that wasn't much fun for you. Leave the ice pack on your head; it should help alleviate some of the pain. I'll bring another blanket so your friend can put it over you if you get cold. The doctor is on his way and he'll talk to you about medication for the pain."

"Thanks." Martin softly gasped out the word not daring to open his eyes or to try for anything more; he was just glad that awful moment had passed.

The nurse left the room and Danny let Martin rest quietly for a moment or two more before he put his hand lightly on Martin's arm again. "If you promise not to make any stupid moves like that again I'll fill you in briefly."

"Okay." Martin breathed out softly, keeping his eyes closed.

"First things first, Rachel Sanders, the woman you saved, is going to be okay, and from what she told Sam and Vivian when they talked with her yesterday, is that she's glad you're going to be okay as well." Danny watched Martin slowly open his eyes careful not to move as he didn't want a repeat of the pain that was slowly subsiding in his head.

Seeing a faint glimmer of light in Martin's eyes he briefly outlined the call to Jack about Martin's car and finding Rachel Sanders, Mitchell and Clark's assumption that Martin was their killer, the team's search at the park turning up his cell phone, the blood and the access road where Reed had likely brought his car to remove Martin from the scene, Sam and Viv's discovery of the list at his apartment as well as cracking his password on his computer and finding the list with the various names including Cameron Reed's. Rachel waking up and identifying Martin as her savior and then later confirming that it was Cameron Reed that had attacked her as well as the two anomalous EZ-Pass scans near Crystal Lake and the correlation with that location and an earlier murder that led them to their finally locating Martin.

Throughout Danny's abbreviated account of the past two days Martin kept his eyes closed but he didn't miss a word. As he listened he heard Danny mention several times how no one on the team suspected he was guilty and that they all kept championing him to Mitchell and Clark that there was no way he could have done these things.

When Danny was done Martin remained silent and still. He knew Danny was waiting and he knew Danny wasn't fooled into thinking he was asleep. Finally he cracked open his eyes and saw Danny leaning forward a bit watching him with a concerned look.

"What are you thinking about, Martin?"

"You kept saying that you never believed I was the killer."

"That's right, no one, not Jack, Viv, Elena, Sam, heck even Van Doren said there was no way and Lucy, she didn't like Mitchell and Clark any more than any of us." 

"You didn't doubt me either?"

"Are you kidding; I know you Fitzgerald, you're no angel, none of us are, but you couldn't have done those things. I know you, we all know you; there's just no way."

Martin gave a small sad smile and for several moments he was quiet, his eyes closed then Danny heard him whisper as if under his breath "I thought I knew Cam, too."

"Yeah, I know, Martin. I'm so sorry." He leaned back in his chair and watched as Martin's breathing slowed and evened out and his features relaxed and after several minutes he knew Martin had drifted off to sleep.

**One month later.**

**June 18****th****, 2007**:

Martin had been back at work for a week. He was allowed back to work under the condition that he only work in the office and for only eight hours a day, a rule he had routinely and studiously ignored for this last week. He was still plagued with sudden and skull-splitting headaches that usually left him nauseas and shivering.

Earlier this week he had been working alone in the conference room where he was able to spread out the many maps he was using to track phone calls, recent business travel flights and rental cars. He remembered highlighting a travel reservation, matching it up to a corresponding rental car receipt when the next thing he remembered was realizing the lights in the conference room were dim and there was an ice pack wrapped in a cloth resting gently on the back of his neck while Elena sat, her chair turned to face his, and she was holding him steady in the chair with one hand while the other kept the ice pack in place on his neck.

The doctor indicated these attacks should subside over time, and he was having weekly checkups to ensure his recovery was on track. Jack was adamant that Martin not work in the field until the doctor cleared him and also made sure that at all times at least one other member of the team stayed in the office with Martin, not only due to his sudden headaches but out of concern for his safety.

Martin didn't share his concern, not that Jack was surprised. Cameron, he reasoned had had every opportunity to kill him and yet hadn't, in fact, to the contrary he had made certain that Martin could be found. Jack retorted that even though they had located him in time it was very close and that Cameron's little trail in no way guaranteed that Martin would be alive when they arrived and, in fact, had been on the death's very door upon their arrival.

Martin was sitting at the small conference table in the bullpen going through their latest missing person's phone calls and financial records looking for any unusual activity or repetitive calls to numbers that his family hadn't already identified. He was beginning to note a pattern of phone calls and was highlighting some lines when his concentration was interrupted by the ringing of his phone at his desk.

Laying down the highlighter he stood up and walked the few paces to his desk and grabbed his phone. From where he was standing he could see across the hall into Jack's office. Apparently it was Jack's day to baby sit him as Jack was in his office interviewing a coworker of their missing man and the rest of the team was out in the field.

"Agent Fitzgerald."

"Hello, Martin."

Martin felt his skin chill instantly while at the same time tiny beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Cameron." Martin used every ounce of his training and experience to keep his voice steady, even still the name came out in little more than a whisper.

"That's right, old friend. Don't bother with the trace; it's a disposable cell phone."

Martin stood stock still barely able to breath, staring across the hall straight at Jack who was still interviewing the coworker.

"I'm glad you're going to be okay. I've been keeping tabs on you; don't know if you knew that. I just wanted you to know that I'm sorry I hit you so hard and caused you so much damage, but I have to tell you that was some kind of a ride. Laying out enough clues for your team to follow, escaping just before they got there, I bet they're still kicking themselves to realize that we were all in the same airport at the same time.

Do they know I watched them land and race through the security checkpoint as they rushed to rescue you? Bet they don't. Wish I could see the looks on their faces when you tell them that, if they had been just a little less focused on getting to you and were paying a little more attention to their surroundings, they would have seen me. I was, what is the phrase, "hiding in plain sight" that morning in Wilkes-Barre. If I had wanted to, I could have reached out and tapped Jack Malone on the shoulder as he went by me he was that close now that was a rush of excitement.

I really must go. I just wanted to call and tell you I'm glad you're better and back at work; I'm back at work as well. Our paths may cross again, part of me hopes so, you do make the chase exciting and again, give my thanks to your team for their single-minded focus on your safety because without that, I would have been caught and there would be no more excitement for me, no more thrill of the hunt, thrill of the kill.

Take care, Martin, until we meet again."

With that the connection was broken. Martin continued to stand silent and unmoving. Across the hall Jack looked up from his interview and saw Martin standing there, phone dangling from his hand, face ashen, eyes filled with revulsion and shock. Excusing himself from his interview Jack opened the office door, his eyes never leaving Martin's face as he covered the distance between his office and Martin's desk.

The End

(May 2007)


End file.
